After enjoying a couple of days off, the Cape Town Blitz are “hungry” to lift the inaugural Mzansi Super League title on Sunday at Newlands.
The Blitz secured qualification last week already for the final and have looked on from the comfort of their living rooms this week as teams have fought tooth and nail for a spot in the playoffs.
They now wait for the outcome of the playoff between Jozi Stars and Paarl Rocks on Friday at the Wanderers to determine their opposition in the final.
Opener Quinton de Kock, though, is just grateful the Blitz have had an opportunity to recuperate after enduring a hectic schedule the past couple of weeks.
“I think we are all little bit tired with all the back-to-back games, so for us to qualify for the final last week already has allowed us to rest up a couple of days was much-needed for the whole team,” De Kock said. “It was nice to have a little break, but now we come back hungry to get the show on the road again.”
De Kock would certainly have benefited a great deal from the couple of days spent back in Johannesburg. The Proteas wicket-keeper has been busier than even most of his teammates after returning from the national tour mid-way through the MSL T20.
With captain Farhaan Behardien, all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo and fast bowler Dale Steyn having also done service in Australia, the break can only benefit the Blitz.
“Obviously, I think there was some difficulties, but that’s just professional sport. Unfortunately is not always good being a sportsman, and tough decisions need to be made but we are where we want to be because of those decisions,” he said.
De Kock will certainly hope to play a big role in Sunday’s final. He is currently just three runs shy of the top run-scorer in the tournament – Jozi Stars’ Rassie van der Dussen (410 runs) – even though he has played three games less.
But it is not only the 25-year-old’s runs that the Blitz depend on, especially with their misfiring middle-order, but also the impetus he creates at the top of the innings.
De Kock’s 407 runs at an average of 67.83 have come at the amazing strike-rate of 174.67. Only Jozi Stars’ Australian all-rounder Dan Christian has a higher strike-rate (194.05) among the top 15 batsmen in the MSL T20.
The final is scheduled for a 3:30pm start at Newlands on Sunday.