Limpopo Impalas vs Mpumalanga Rhinos, CSA 4-Day Division 2, Today Match Prediction

LPI vs MMR Match Prediction & Analysis

Limpopo will face Mpumalanga Rhinos in their last match of the season. The two teams aren’t close to the points tally of the top 2 teams. As a result, there isn’t a strong chance of either of these teams to reach the final.

CSA Four-Day Series is all set to resume for its final stage after the break. Before the competition paused for the limited-overs tournaments, Limpopo batters were struggling to post competitive totals.

Both teams had won just one of their previous 3 matches and lost one each. Morne Venter, Louren Steenkamp, and Jan Hardus Coetzer are the key performers for Limpopo in the middle order.

For the Rhinos, Yasar Cook is the in-form middle-order batsman who will be crucial in this game. They have a few other centurions as well who made a huge impact in the recent matches in the top 4.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Limpopo Impalas Preview

Limpopo have failed to score big in their last two Tests and need to bounce back in this match. They have played two matches on this ground and won one while the other ended in a draw.

There have been some serious batting collapses in their innings in their previous matches. After a brilliant bowling performance in the first against KwaZulu that wrapped up the opposition for 211 runs, Limpopo were 100 for 4 in their first innings.

From 100 for 4, they went to 132 all-out in the next 32 Overs. In the next match, they lost half of their side for 47 runs in the first innings after having conceded 300+ bowling first.

While Venter, Steenzkamp, and Coetzer showed great promise in the second innings with some decent knocks, Limpopo would need some quality performances from the top order.

Skipper Ludwig Kaestner must lead from the front as the opener in this batting lineup. He will need support from Sizwe Masondo and Liam Peters in the top order.

Jesse Albanie is in great form with the ball and is consistently delivering wickets for the side. Kgaudisa Molefe and Don Radebe are other key wicket-takers in this squad to watch out for.

Limpopo Impalas Predicted Playing XI:

Liam Peters, Morne Venter, Louren Steenkamp, Jan Hardus Coetzer, Ludwig Kaestner (c), Dilivio Ridgaard (wk), Don Radebe, Sizwe Masondo, Jesse Albanie, Kgaudisa Molefe, Heinrich Pieterse

Mpumalanga Rhinos Preview

Mpumalanga Rhinos will aim for their second win of the season as they take on a struggling Limpopo in their last league stage match of the season. The batting has been quite impressive in the last few matches before the tournament went into a break.

Jurie Snyman, Karabi Mogotsi, and skipper Muhammed Mayet are all in great touch in the top order. Benjamin van Niekerk and Yassar Cook are the key players in the middle-order to watch out for.

Each of these key players has scored big in recent games and has made a huge impact with the bat. Among the many centurions in this batting lineup, there is also Hermann Rolfes who scored 164 runs in the first innings against Eastern Storm at number 7.

In the bowling department, Kurtlyn Mannikam, Jurie Snyman, and Gareth Dukes are the key wicket-takers. There is great variety in the bowling attack and many of them have stepped up to deliver breakthroughs time and again.

Themba Muapa, Jon Hinrichsen, and skipper Mayet are also very handy with the ball and can deliver crucial breakthroughs.

Mpumalanga Rhinos Predicted Playing XI:

Karabo Mogotsi, Jurie Snyman, Muhammed Mayet (c), Benjamin van Niekerk, Yassar Cook, Nonelela Yikha, Zakir Kathrada (wk), Gareth Dukes, Kurtlyn Mannikam, Jon Hinrichsen, Themba Maupa

Weather Conditions

There will be scattered showers in Polokwane on the first and last day of the Test match while on the rest of the days, the weather will be partly cloudy with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

LPI vs MMR Pitch Report

It is a balanced wicket at the Polokwane Cricket Club with the bowlers enjoying the upper hand in the last couple of matches played here. The average 1st innings score so far this season is 244 runs. We reckon if the team batting first can cross the 300-run mark, they will be in a winning position.

Toss: To Bat

Since the tournament is back after quite a long break, we reckon batting first would be a good idea. The only game that didn’t end in a draw was won by the team batting first on this ground in Polokwane. Considering Limpopo’s batting struggles, we don’t see them winning if they chase a competitive total in the 4th innings.