A T20 cricket extravaganza is set to hit Potchefstroom from 17 October – 5 November with the CSA Division 1 T20 Challenge taking place at the JB Marks Oval.

This tournament will open the 2022/23 season in division 1 and as hosts the North West Dragons will want to stamp their authority early on in the season.

This tournament will take place in a round-robin format with each team playing one another once. The top four teams advance to the semi-finals. Dragons’ fans will also be relieved that there are reserve days if a semi-final or a final is rained out – last season rain played a big part in the Dragons’ silverware chase.

Last season, the Dragons were one of the in-form teams in the shorter format and they will want to keep that run going in the new season.

The Dragons have picked up a couple of new recruits such as fast bowler, Kerwin Mungroo, fast bowler, Renaldo Meyer and off-spinner Tumelo Tlhokwe who are well suited to the T20 format.

The 38 year-old batsman, Heino Kuhn, will lead the team during the tournament with regular skipper, Nicky van den Bergh, still unavailable due to injury. Kuhn is a more than capable captain with loads of experience. He showed patches of forms last season and will want to kick on this season with a solid campaign with the bat in the shorter format.

Wesley Marshall will also be a trump card for the Dragons with the bat. The opener can win games for his side with his positive intent and if he hits his straps, the Dragons will not need to worry about falling behind the required run-rate. In the middle order, Shaylen Pillay, Delano Potgieter, Senuran Muthusamy and  Lesego Senokwane will be tasked with continuing the good work of the openers.

In the bowling department, Eldred Hawken, Duan Jansen, Caleb Seleka and Mungroo will be the key performers for the Dragons. The all-rounders, Muthusamy and Potgieter will also feature as prominent bowling options.

Lwandiswa Zuma can also be of great value to the Dragons with his pace and variations. He though needs to find form after a relatively disappointing campaign last season.

The Dragons start their tournament against the Lions in a night game on 17 October. They then face the Dolphins two days later, before taking on the Titans on 22 October. A break of five days will give the home team chance to regroup before a mouthwatering clash with Western Province. Two days later they take on the defending T20 champs, the Gbets Rocks on 29 October. The Dragons finish the group stage with matches against the Warriors and Knights.

There will be no easy game in this competitive tournament and the Dragons will need to use familiar conditions and home support of the crowd to their advantage.

“It is very crucial that the Dragons do well in this opening tournament. Especially in terms of staying up in division 1 this season. This shorter format does suit the Dragons and I believe that we have a strong squad to compete in this competition,” stated acting NW Cricket CEO, Ismail Minty.

He is also of the opinion that this tournament is just another indication of North West Cricket’s ability to host top class tournaments.

“This tournament gives a real boost to the local economy by hosting these teams. The great news is that spectators can once again fill the stadiums. People are really hungry to watch top class live cricket. I am happy that Cricket South Africa trusts us with hosting big tournaments and that we can utilise our facilities to the fullest,” added Minty.

The division 2 season will start earlier with the T20 Challenge (division 2) taking place from 30 September – 10 October in Pietermaritzburg and East London respectively.

• Ticket sales are expected to open on Monday, 19 September at Ticketpros. Tickets can also be bought at the stadium or at the gate on match days.

CSA T20 Challenge Division 1 fixtures:

17 October: Hollywoodbets Dolphins vs Momentum Multiply Titans (14:30)

17October: North West Dragons vs Imperial Lions (18:00)

18 October: Gbets Warriors vs ITEC Knights (14:30)

18 October: GbetsRocks vs Six Gun Grill Western Province (18:00)

19 October: Imperial Lions vs Momentum Multiply Titans (14:30)

19 October: North West Dragons vs Hollywoodbets Dolphins (18:00)     

20 October: Six Gun Grill Western Province vs ITEC Knights (14:30)

20 October: GbetsRocks vs Gbets Warriors (18:00)

21 October: Momentum Multiply Titans vs Six Gun Grill Western Province (14:30)

21 October: Imperial Lions vs Gbets Warriors (18:00)

22 October: GbetsRocks vs Hollywoodbets Dolphins (10:00)

22 October: Momentum Multiply Titans vs North West Dragons (14:30)

23 October: ITEC Knights vs Imperial Lions (10:00)

23 October: Gbets Warriors vs Six Gun Grill Western Province (14:30)

25 October: Hollywoodbets Dolphins vs Gbets Warriors (14:30)

25 October: Momentum Multiply Titans vs GbetsRocks (18:00)

26 October: Imperial Lions vs Hollywoodbets Dolphins (14:30)

26 October: ITEC Knights vs GbetsRocks (18:00)

27 October: Six Gun Grill Western Province vs North West Dragons (18:00)

28 October: Gbets Warriors vs Momentum Multiply Titans (14:30)

28 October: Hollywoodbets Dolphins vs ITEC Knights (18:00)

29 October: North West Dragons vs GbetsRocks (10:00)

29 October: Hollywoodbets Dolphins vs Six Gun Grill Western Province (14:30)

30 October: North West Dragons vs Gbets Warriors (14:30)

31 October: Momentum Multiply Titans vs ITEC Knights (14:30)

31 October: Six Gun Grill Western Province vs Imperial Lions (18:00)

1 November: ITEC Knights vs North West Dragons (14:30)

1 November: Imperial Lions vs GbetsRocks (18:00)

2 November: Semi-final 1 (14:30)

2 November: Semi-final 2 (18:00)

5 November: Final (14:30)