Titans a win away from semi-finals

Match facts

October 21, 2012
Start time 1730 local (1530 GMT)

Titans have every chance of making the semi-finals of the Champions League T20, having won two out of two games to earn eight points. Kolkata Knight Riders have none, after losing their first two matches and earning two points from a washout in a contest they had to win. Another Titans victory on Sunday will secure their progress; a Kolkata victory could keep the two semi-final berths for Group A vacant for a bit longer, which is what most of the other teams in the group will be rooting for.

By the time Titans and Kolkata take the field, however, the playing field in Group A would have changed significantly. If Delhi Daredevils beat Perth Scorchers in the first of Sunday's games, they will have taken top spot for the moment with ten points, while the BBL team will be knocked out of the tournament. Should Delhi lose, they will be level with Scorchers and Auckland on six points, with one game to play for each team.

Titans will have a fit squad to choose from after Ethy Mbhalati recovered from the hamstring strain he suffered against Auckland Aces.

Newlands is Jacques Kallis' home ground but he's played only four Twenty20 matches there in the last eight years, scoring 75 runs at a strike rate of 91. Kallis hasn't scored a run in this season of the Champions League. He's faced only four deliveries, making a duck in one game and retiring hurt after being hit on the glove by Morne Morkel in another. With the ball, he's taken two wickets in ten overs at an economy-rate of 6.60. Kolkata's campaign has suffered because of the lack of contributions from Kallis. There isn't much at stake on Sunday apart from some statistics to salvage.

Unlike Kallis, Jacques Rudolph has had a superb two games for Titans, with two half-centuries and a strike-rate of 126.95. His runs came at the top of the order in Durban and Centurion and helped his team post strong totals in both matches. Another performance of similar impact will go a long way in helping Titans enter the final four.

The forecast for Cape Town is not good on Sunday with the chance of showers during the day predicted to be 70%.

"Ethy was put through a rigorous fitness test by our medical team at Saturday morning's practice. This included bowling a full spell and he came through with flying colours."
Titans spokesperson Gerald Dros