OVR Last Five Matches: L W W W L (Avg Score For 112, Avg Score Against 95)
AUM Last Five Matches: L L L L W (Avg Score For 76, Avg Score Against 106)
Captain: Jurg Hirschi
Wicketkeeper: Sean Byrne
Projected Top Four: Clyde Palmer, Heinrich Gericke, Charl Kleinepunte, Andy Naudi
Projected Opening Bowlers: David Marks, Aron Oulton
Spin Options: Jurg Hirschi, Callum Burke, Andrew Naudi, Jack Barritt
OVERSEAS Key Players:
Jurg Hirschi, right-arm leg-spinner, unorthodox but highly effective, joint leading wicket taker in December 2020 with 10 scalps. Has already picked up 10 wickets this time around in just eight games with a best return of 4-13.
Andy Naudi is peaking at the right time for OVR mustering his first fifty this season against SWU and was awarded man of the match for his fine effort. Has racked up 95 runs in six innings and has contributed with the ball as well picking up four wickets.
Heinrich Gericke, the right handed batsman has been in good touch scoring 83 runs in four innings at a staggering strike rate of 268 including NINE huge maximos. The wicket-keeper batsman has scored over 84% of his runs in boundaries alone.
Clyde Palmer has racked up 83 runs in three innings. Looked good with the ball on Thursday nailing yorkers at will and was rewarded with a couple of wickets as well.
Charl Kleinepunte, left-hand opening batsman, has the ability to bat through the innings. Also a left-arm medium pacer who can swing it and extracts plenty of bounce off the pitch, top scorer for OVR mustering 145 runs in just four games including a 29-ball 58 against MTD.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF MALTA (AUM)
Captain: Jit Patel
Wicketkeeper: Darshit Patankar
Projected Top Four: Mittul Patel, Saneesh Kumar, Darshit Patankar, Zoheb Malek
Projected Opening Bowlers: Jit Patel, Mittul Patel
Spin Options: Tarak Shah, Zoheb Malek
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF MALTA Key Players:
Zoheb Malek, the all-rounder has racked up 87 runs at a healthy strike rate of 155 and is the leading wicket taker for AUM scalping EIGHT wickets in eight matches.
Darshit Patankar, the wicket-keeper batsman has mustered 224 runs from eight games at a strike rate of 167 including two unbeaten fifties. Darshit has been delivering the heavy scoring for AUM and is the second highest run scorer in the tournament.
Shubh Patel, the 25-year old fast bowler has been exceptional with the ball for AUM this season picking up five wickets with a best return of 3-8 in the opening game. Shubh bowled a staggering NINE dot balls in his two overs against a raging Marsa in the second game Monday.
Saneesh Kumar, a young, talented opening batsman, second highest run scorer for AUM amassing 155 runs from seven games.
Jit Patel, captain, bowling all-rounder, the left-arm medium pacer brings variety to the AUM bowling line-up. Has picked up six wickets in eight matches this term.
Both these sides are much-improved from last season, with AUM in particular picking up four wins as opposed to just one last term.This season, Overseas have been very competitive, only coming seriously unstuck against the all-conquering Super Kings before going down to SWU in the final group match. However, with key players back for this all-important encounter, OVR will fancy their chances here, having beaten AUM twice in the previous edition.
Last time they met: OVR 96 def AUM 94 (1 Dec 2020)
Match Prediction: Overseas (OVR) to squeeze into the semis in an entertaining match.