Cape Town''s Newlands to host next SA20 final

Johannesburg, Aug 22 (PTI) The final of the upcoming SA20 league will be held at the Newlands in Cape Town with the venues at Durban, Centurion and Johannesburg getting key playoff matches, the tournament organisers said on Friday.

The fourth season of the league starts on December 26.

Durban will host a playoff match for the first time in SA20 history when the two best teams of the competition meet in Qualifier 1 on January 21.

The Highveld will play host to two crunch playoff matches, with Centurion setting the stage for the Eliminator on January 22 and the Wanderers in Johannesburg staging the decider of the second finalist with Qualifier 2 on January 23.

All SA20 champions have been crowned in front of a capacity crowd, with the three successive finals selling out in record time.

SA20 League Commissioner, Graeme Smith, expects similar fanfare for the box office tickets.

"SA20 Season 4 is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting summer of cricket, kicking off on Boxing Day and running through the holiday period," Smith said.

"Last year Newlands sold out all five matches at the venue and with the final taking place on a Sunday, it sets up an incredible afternoon with great weather, entertainment and a lively atmosphere to crown our Season 4 champions." The former South African captain added, "Durban will host a playoff for the first time and we're hoping this will excite the fans, especially because the two best teams of the competition will be playing in that Qualifier 1.

"We're also excited to go back to Centurion and Wanderers on the Thursday and Friday nights, it's always key to have the venues close together because the matches are a day apart." The auction for the fourth season will be held on September 9, when the six franchises will finalise their 19-player squads. The event promises high stakes bidding and entertainment, with star Proteas and international players going under the hammer.

"The fans have been at the heart of our success over the past three seasons," Smith said.

"I think with the league taking place during the majority of the holiday season we will see a lot of interest around the country." PTI AH AH DDV