Tuesday. Kettle on, radio on, one eye on the sky over Cape Town. This is Fluit’s Five 27 October, and today has no hiding place: a five-day final begins at 10:30, the big three play cup football at 19:00, and tomorrow Africa draws its groups.
1. The Big One: Fluit’s Five 27 October starts at Newlands
One Test, the series at 1-1, and everything riding on it. Australia won by 214 runs in Durban, South Africa hit straight back in Gqeberha by an innings, and now Newlands settles it.
The Proteas have made one change. Gerald Coetzee comes in for Anrich Nortje, ruled out with a mild groin injury, and the rest of the Gqeberha XI stays, SA Cricket Mag reports. Temba Bavuma called Coetzee “the closest guy in terms of like-for-like” and pointed to his extra pace, according to Daily Maverick.
Australia have a worry of their own. Steve Smith, troubled by a stiff neck since Gqeberha, had not been cleared on Monday, though coach Andrew McDonald said they were confident he would be available. Opener Nic Maddinson has been released to go home.
Our view: pace for pace, Coetzee is the right call. Our Newlands preview has the history and the pitch.
2. The Matchday Move: three giants, one kick-off
Tonight the knockout cup’s last 16 brings out the heavyweights, all at 19:00, per the PSL. Orlando Pirates, the holders, meet Milford at Orlando Stadium. At FNB Stadium it is Kaizer Chiefs against TS Galaxy, while Loftus Versfeld hosts Mamelodi Sundowns and Marumo Gallants.
Three clubs, three moods. Pirates have just walked into the Champions League group stage. Chiefs and Sundowns are four days removed from African exits, and Chiefs carry the extra weight of a Soweto Derby on Saturday. A cup night was never meant to feel this loaded. Team news and form are in our last 16 preview.
3. The Talking Point: Sundowns need a reply, not a speech
Miguel Cardoso has not hidden from it. He called the away-goals exit to Wiliete “a big punch in our faces”, TimesLIVE reports, and pointed out that the club has already won two trophies this season and is leading the league.
So here is the argument. Our view: words after a shock are cheap, and tonight at Loftus is where Sundowns start paying them back. A one-off cup tie against Gallants is no formality, and a second stumble inside a week would turn a bad week into a crisis. Win well and the conversation moves on. How the night against Wiliete got away from them.
4. The Stat That Matters: three of the last four
Australia have won 10 of their 14 Tests at Newlands. Sounds ominous. Look closer, though: South Africa have won three of the last four there, by an innings in 2009, by eight wickets in 2011 and by 322 runs in 2018, cricket.com.au notes. Australia’s only win at the ground in that run came in 2014.
What it means: the old history belongs to the visitors, the recent history belongs to the Proteas. From 10:30 the two collide. The numbers, from Cricket Australia’s own preview.
5. The One to Watch: Wednesday’s draw in Cairo
Tomorrow, two South African clubs learn who stands between them and the knockout rounds. CAF holds both group stage draws at the Egypt Football Association’s headquarters in Cairo: the Confederation Cup at 13:00 SAST, with Durban City in it, and the Champions League at 14:00 SAST, with Orlando Pirates. Sixteen clubs in each, four groups of four, and the group stage starts in November, CAF confirms.
For Durban City, in their first continental campaign, every name out of the pot is a new adventure. How they got there, 6-1 over two legs.
So, for the braai: who has more to lose today, Bavuma’s Proteas at Newlands or Cardoso’s Sundowns at Loftus? Pick one and defend it.