Numbers tell the story ahead of Pro20 final

HEINZ SCHENK

JOHANNESBURG - If statistics are anything to go by, Friday night’s Standard Bank Pro20 final will be a classic cricketing scenario where the Warriors’ bowling attack will be battling for supremacy over the Highveld Lions’ proficiency with the bat.

Dave Nosworthy’s charges have surprised all in sundry with an unexpected but richly deserved march into the competition’s showpiece match – the second time in their history after winning in 2006/07.

And much of that can be attributed to their consistent batting as they average a score of 160 every time they’ve come out to bat this season. In fact, their average is 18 runs more than the competition’s average totals of 142.

Indeed, it’s reflected in the side’s batting averages, where three individuals have scored more than 150 runs thus far.

Vaughn van Jaarsveld heads the list with 234 runs at a superb strike-rate of 142.

Since averages don’t count for much in this format, the fact that the left-hander – who finally seems to have regained the form that made him an international last season – scores at least 33 runs every time he visits the crease makes his stats even more impressive.

Others to shine are Neil McKenzie (180 runs at a rate of 113) and Jonathan Vadiar (173 runs at a brisk 131).

The bowling, which has been their weakness for a couple of seasons now, has improved but they still leak an average score of 163 this season.

Perhaps the reliance on the new-ball pair of Rob Frylinck and Ethan O’Reilly – who share 24 wickets between them – is attributable but at least Richard Cameron showed in the second leg semi against the Titans that the back-up bowlers can perform.

In contrast, the Eastern Cape franchise has simply reaffirmed it’s status as South African domestic cricket’s premier bowling unit, restricting their opponents to average scores of 147.

Skipper Davy Jacobs has had the luxury of calling on five frontline bowlers that have taken between eight and ten wickets.

Fittingly, it’s been Makhaya Ntini who’s the leading wicket-taker (10) underlining that the Proteas second most prolific bowler is not down and out yet.

Their batting has been less convincing, and if the Lions have over-relied on Frylinck and O’Reilly then the Warriors have let Colin Ingram – the competition’s leading run scorer with 260 runs – carry a huge burden.

Jacobs (162 runs) is the only other batsmen to have scored more than 150 runs.

But the most significant statistic will be disconcerting to the Lions.

In seven previous meetings with the Warriors, they have only won once.