After snatching a dramatic Super Over win against Chennai Super Kings, Victoria Bushrangers would look to keep themselves in contention for a semi-final berth with a win against a struggling Wayamba XI in a
Champions League Twenty20 match in Centurion on Monday.
With two wins from three matches, a win against Wayamba at the SuperSPort Park would put Bushrangers in contention for semi-final though it will depend on the Group A match between Warriors and Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday.
On the other hand, Wayamba struggled to make any sort of impact in the tournament, suffering heavy defeats at the hands of the Super Kings and Chevrolet Warriors.
And the script looks unlikely to change for the Sri Lankans unless their batsmen, including Mahela Jayawardene, rediscover their touch.
After losing to Warriors, the Bushrangers regrouped in time to eke out wins against Central Stags and IPL champions CSK. Skipper David Hussey led from the front, stroking a fluent half century in his side's win against Chennai Saturday.
Opener Aaron Finch has also been in fine touch, smashing an aggressive 93 in Bushrangers' win against Central Stags.
Hussey and Finch looked in great touch but the Bushrangers would be hoping that other key players like Brad Hodge, Andrew McDonald and Rob Quiney click against Wayamba.
The bowlers too had played crucial roles in ensuring their side's back-to-back wins. John Hastings and Clint Mckay, in particular, bowled brilliantly towards the end to restrict Chennai to 162 when they looked like crossing the 180 mark. The Bushrangers conceded just 25 runs in the last four overs.
As far as Wayamba are concerned, it has been a tournament they would like to forget in a hurry. Thrashed by the Warriors before the mauling against CSK, the team from Sri Lanka looked the weakest in Group A.
Barring a half century from Jeevantha Kalatunga against Warriors, none of the batsmen could deliver.
Their bowling too has been far from impressive and over-dependence on spinners on the fast and bouncy South African tracks has not helped their cause either.
Chennai carted Wayamba bowlers to all corners of the park, notching up 200 runs, and the Warriors too looked at ease against the spin duo of Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath.
