END OF OVER:4 | 5 Runs | DSG: 37/0 | RR: 9.25
- Devon Conway24 (13b)
- Kane Williamson12 (11b)
- Corbin Bosch1-0-5-0
- Trent Boult2-0-22-0
6.03pm Well that is that folks, match has been abandoned. The teams will split 2 points apiece, here's the updated table. Takes DSG to second place and gets MI Cape Town on the board. Many thanks for all those who kept company through the tiresome wait, but it's a wrap from here. Madushka signing out.
Pieter Lubbe: "This would be amazing. Bloem and Free State Province have the facilities already. They've produced many talented cricketers such as Hansie, Allan Donald, Nicky Boje, etc. The only challenge will be - in order to add another franchise, there needs to be 20-26 more players to choose from. One needs to keep the top level exclusive, maintain a high standard and competition and not spread the talent too thin across too many franchises"
Tassadaq Abbasi: "Regarding teams in NZ T20 competitions, Dunedin Daredevils is a must. "
Jarryd: "Potchefstroom Kings? Great student support there too. " --- Firdose informs me that there are no plans to expand the number of teams until the first five seasons of SA20 are complete, but after that...maybe.
Kiran: "Christchurch Super Kings would bring some CSK flavour!"
Mustafa Moudi : "Just here to take back my previous comment. I wanted De-Wil Partnership to Last Long but not This Long :P"
5.50pm Still raining is the latest update, but there's due to be an inspection at 6pm, which is in about 10 minutes. Reckon we might have a clearer picture on the fate of this game pretty soon.
Mpho: "Kimberley Knight Riders (KKR) would also slap, no?" --- Yes it would. Some parallel thinking from Pankaj as well: "Kimberly Knight Riders"
ZM: "Royal Challengers BENONI is a better option"
William: "New Zealand's greatest cricketers of the last 10 years are playing South African domestic cricket in the heart of the NZ summer… NZC needs to get ahead of this. As an international purist I'm no great fan of the NZ20 but it might be a necessity at this point " --- Royal Challengers Wellington, anyone?
Colin: "Does DLS normally favour the team batting 1st or 2nd, and why?" --- Invariably the team batting second. Not only does it allow the side batting second to plan their innings better, the extra moisture plus a potentially wet ball tends to make batting easier as well.
Mpho: "I'm in Bloemfontein, where everyone, except the RCB owners, know how great a success a Royal Challengers Bloemfongteng franchise would be "
TheGrissom : "Im 900 odd km away in Gqeberha, lovely day, we are all swimming so we dont feel left out from the Durban crowd"
Odinlass: "I really dislike shortened games. As it is we've been shortchanged with a two-day Ashes Test this week and I am not happy."
5pm Alright so we're now firmly in losing overs territory. The cut-off time is 7.05pm local time, so roughly another two hours.
lunch: "I'm in Toronto where it's due to start snowing any minute. my cousin in durban confirms it's raining. "pouring mind you" was the particular turn of phrase " --- Gotta love a global weather network.
More pessimistic predictions coming in, here's Vandan Modi: "Know this type of rain very well in Durban. Might as well call off the match now. No point in hanging around...shades of SA vs SL, world cup..DL method blunder...."
VaChikafu : "I'm at Queensmead mall, 7.7km from Kingsmead Stadium, still drizzling heavily. Such weather doesn't pass easily in Durban, I'd love the game to restart (bet against Durban weather)"
4.25pm Not a positive update. Still pelting down in Durban sadly. Another 25 minutes or so until we start losing overs. Fans have taken shelter, but are still hanging around.
Pankaj : "That's why I'm happy that they have bonus points rule, Teams can make up for the loss points if they win by big margin in upcoming games." --- Yup, personally love a bonus points rule. Incentivises aggressive cricket as well.
Some hope springing from Kaig: "10km away from the ground, sun is popping out..."
Marc: "Sadly, this is the type of rain that's going to set in. There was a window to play this game if it had started a few hours earlier-- but I'd bet that that window has closed." --- Game was already moved ahead by 90 minutes I believe, pretty tough to avoid this sort of weather.
Shadow-Shell: "It was fun watching Conway-Williamson and Shafali-Mandhana going neck and neck. Rain spoiled it."
3.50pm Some spin now, as George Linde comes into the attack with his left-arm spin. But before he can have a bowl, the rain arrives. Covers coming on!
Corbin Bosch replaces Janat. Right-arm over.
END OF OVER:3 | 8 Runs | DSG: 32/0 | RR: 10.66
- Kane Williamson10 (8b)
- Devon Conway21 (10b)
- Trent Boult2-0-22-0
- Karim Janat1-0-10-0
Oh my, groundstaff moving into position. Rain around the corner, looks like.
END OF OVER:2 | 10 Runs | DSG: 24/0 | RR: 12.00
- Kane Williamson10 (7b)
- Devon Conway14 (5b)
- Karim Janat1-0-10-0
- Trent Boult1-0-14-0
"So that shot we've just seen [on screen] is the rain coming," chirps Firdose. "Over the Berea - comes and stays. Not a good sign."
Mustafa Moudi: "Hoping for another Big Opening Partnership from De-Wil !!" --- Well, "De" is well on his way.
END OF OVER:1 | 14 Runs | DSG: 14/0 | RR: 14.00
- Devon Conway13 (4b)
- Kane Williamson1 (2b)
- Trent Boult1-0-14-0
Left-arm over, slip and gully in place.
Devon Conway and Kane Williamson to open the batting for DSG, how they would love to repeat the start they gave from the reverse fixture. And it's an all Kiwi affair to begin proceedings as Trent Boult has the new ball.
3.28pm Alright, we're not far from the start now. Umpire's leading the players on to the field along with the match ball.
3.10pm So the big talking point ahead of this game is definitely the weather, with Firdose also piping in with her expert technical opinion. "Looks iffy," she says. That's me sold.
Pitch report: "No rain in terms of preparation," says Khaya Zondo. "Looking at 180+ which I think it's a winning score. Conditions-wise, with regard to the possibility of rain and DLS coming into play, maybe chase. But otherwise, batting first is the way."
Durban Super Giants: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Kane WIlliamson, 3 Jos Buttler, 4 Aiden Markram (capt), 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Evan Jones, 7 David Wiese, 8 Eathan Bosch, 9 Simon Harmer, 10 Kwena Maphaka, 11 Noor Ahmad
MI Cape Town 1 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 2 Rassie van der Dussen, 3 Reeza Hendricks, 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 George Linde, 6 Jason Smith, 7 Corbin Bosch, 8 Dwaine Pretorius, 9 Rashid Khan (capt), 10 Karim Janat, 11 Trent Boult
Tristan Luus is out and replaced by Karim Janat, Kagiso Rabada remains out of contention with a rib injury. No changes for DSG.
Aidan Markram says they would have liked to have bowled first as well. Expects conditions to be "completely different" from the reverse fixture, wants to improve on their fielding.
Rashid Khan says the overcast conditions have played a role in their decision. Doesn't feel there's much to change from the first game, just focusing on getting the right result. Feels it's important to assess these different conditions.
3.01pm Time for the toss... MI Cape Town win and will bowl!
2.50pm Hello, hello and welcome to ESPNcricinfo's coverage of the SA20. It's still early days in this tournament but the games just keep coming at ya, this here is match four with Durban's Super Giants hosting MI Cape Town - the reverse fixture from that epic boxing day clash, which was also fascinatingly the last time these two sides played. We'll have toss and team news for you shortly.