WP will make at least four changes to XI

Aviwe Mgijima and Tony de ZorziFile image: Aviwe Mgijima and Tony de Zorzi.

Western Province will make at least four changes to the first-class XI for this week’s 4-Day Domestic Series fixture against North West at Newlands.

Batsmen Zubayr Hamza, David Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne and fast bowler Mihlali Mpongwana were in the XI for Western Province’s penultimate first-class fixture of the 2021-22 domestic season late last month.

None of the four are in the 13-man squad for this week’s final fixture. Verreynne recently returned from New Zealand with the Proteas. Bedingham has returned to England.

Batsman Tony de Zorzi will captain the XI in the absence of Hamza. The young Daniel Smith will likely keep wicket in the absence of Verreynne.

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De Zorzi top of the runs for WP

After Bedingham, de Zorzi is Western Province’s leading run-scorer in the series. He has collected 346 runs in six innings at an average of 57.66.

Simmonds top of the wickets for WP

Spinner Kyle Simmonds is the province’s leading wicket-taker this series. He has 27 wickets in eight innings at an average of 28.40. Simmonds’ tally is 20 more than any team-mate. Mpongwana is next best with seven wickets.

Battle to avoid last place

Western Province currently occupy seventh position in the eight-team 4-Day Domestic Series division one. They are 21.78 points ahead of last-placed North West.

WP squad for North West fixture

  1. Tony de Zorzi (captain)
  2. Aviwe Mgijima
  3. Basheer Walters
  4. Beuran Hendricks
  5. Daniel Smith
  6. Gavin Kaplan
  7. George Linde
  8. Jonathan Bird
  9. Junaid Dawood
  10. Kyle Simmonds
  11. Tshepo Moreki
  12. Wayne Parnell
  13. Yaseen Vallie

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