Warriors vs Lions, CSAP_ODD, Today Match Prediction 09 March 2025

WAR vs LNS Match Prediction & Analysis

It is the final game of the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge’s division one. With Boland advancing to the final, both spots for the qualifier are still in play. Warriors will have their last chance to qualify for the knockout phase. They will play against the Lions at St George's Park, Gqeberha on 9th March from 1:30 pm onwards. They are tied up with the Titans and the Knights in the points table with 16 points. 

Warriors played their last game against the Western Province at the same venue. Batting first, the Warriors scored 223 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. Jordan Hermann scored his second half century (57) of the season. Beyers Swanepoel took four wickets in return to help Warriors win their fourth match of the season with 19 runs. Shimane Alfred Mothoa and Jason Raubenheimer also took two wickets each.

Lions' last game was interrupted by the rain when they were at 126 for the loss of five wickets. Wandile Makwetu scored 47 runs in the game. Before the game, they had three losses in a row against the Knights, Dolphins, and North West. With just two wins in 6 games, they are at the sixth position and are already out of the contention for the qualifiers.

Both teams played at Johannesburg in the last season. Batting first, Lions scored 330 runs for the loss of seven wickets after half centuries from Ryan Rickelton, Joshua Richards, and Dominic Hendricks. Beyers Swanepoel took two wickets for the Warriors. With half the team went to the pavilion on 99 runs, Warriors’ Patrick Kruger scored an unbeaten knock of 135 runs off 90 balls. Swanepoel also showed his batting skills scoring 69 runs in the end to help Warriors win the game by 4 wickets in the final over of the game. Duanne Olivier took two wickets.

If Warriors win the game, they will have to wait for the match between the Knights and the Titans to know their fate.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Warriors Preview

This will be a do or die match for the Warriors. Jordan Hermann will open the innings with Jean du Plessis. Hermann is their leading run-scorer with 283 runs at an average of 57. Du Plessis has failed to perform this season and has just 36 runs in 4 innings. Matthew Breetzke will come at number three. Breetzke has 207 runs in 4 innings with two half centuries at an average of 52 and a strike rate above 100. He will be the batter to watch out for.

Sinethemba Qeshile, Senuran Muthusamy (c), Patrick Kruger, and Andile Mokgakane will come in the middle. Qeshile has 72 runs in 5 games while skipper Muthusamy has 172 runs at an average of 43. Muthusamy has also picked up seven wickets with the ball at an average of 36. Both Kruger and Mokgakane have 154 runs in 5 games at an average of 22. Kruger had scored 135 runs against the Lions in the last season.

Beyers Swanepoel will lead the bowling attack with Christopher King, Shimane Mothoa, and Jason Raubenheimer. Swanepoel has 8 wickets at an average of 18. He will be the bowler to watch out for. Swanepoel played a crucial knock of 69 off 53 balls in Warriors' last game against the Lions which helped them win it by 4 wickets. Mothoa has 8 wickets but he averages 36.

Key Players: Jordan Hermann, Beyers Swanepoel, Matthew Breetzke

Warriors Predicted Playing XI:

Jordan Hermann, Jean du Plessis (wk), Matthew Breetzke, Sinethemba Qeshile, Senuran Muthusamy (c), Patrick Kruger, Andile Mokgakane, Beyers Swanepoel, Christopher King, Jason Raubenheimer, Shimane Alfred Mothoa.

Lions Preview

With three losses in the last three games and a washed out game, the Lions' chances to qualify for the playoffs are zero. Wandile Makwetu will open the innings with Reeza Hendericks. Makwetu averages just 19 while opening the innings for Lions this season. But his partner Hendericks has 202 runs at an average of 34. Zubayr Hamza will come at number three. Hamza is Lions’ leading run-scorer this season with 228 runs at an average of 38. He has scored two half-centuries so far. He will be the batter to watch out for.

Mitchell Van Buuren will come in the middle with Connor Esterhuizen and Richard Seletswane. Van Buuren has 182 runs in the six games and has scored a half century in the last game. Esterhuizen has 189 runs at an average of 38 while Seletswane lacks the experience and has 51 runs in three games. The middle-order has failed to perform for Lions, excluding Van Buuren in the last three games.

Bjorn Fortuin will lead the bowling attack with Evan Jones, Delano Potgieter, and Codi Yusuf. Fortuin has 6 wickets in the five games at an average of 30. All eyes will be on Jones who picked up five wickets in the last game. He also played a crucial knock of 24 runs in 12 balls. Yusuf is their leading wicket taker with 8 wickets.

Key Players: Reeza Hendericks, Connor Esterhuizen, Evan Jones .

Lions Predicted Playing XI:

Wandile Makwetu (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Zubayr Hamza, Mitchell Van Buuren, Connor Esterhuizen, Richard Seletswane, Delano Potgieter, Evan Jones, Bjorn Fortuin (c), Codi Yusuf, Nqabayomzi Peter.

Weather Conditions

The weather at St George's Park, Gqeberha is expected to be cloudy on match day, with temperatures ranging between 21 and 26 degrees Celsius. Winds will blow from the southeast at 8-14 km/h. Rain is expected.  It is a bowling friendly pitch. Bowlers can benefit from the pitch in the early stages, which offers a nice bounce. As the game progresses and the pitch gets older, batsmen can play their shots comfortably. The bowlers have picked all possible 20 wickets in the two games played here.

WAR vs LNS Pitch Report

The game will be played at St George's Park, Gqeberha on 9th March from 1:30 pm onwards. The stadium has a capacity of 19000 spectators. 

Toss: To Bat

In 2 games played here, the results have favored teams chasing & defending the target on 1 occasion each. The average second-innings score is 202, with the highest total of 223. The team winning the toss should bat first.