The One-Day Cup heads into the final round this weekend with the last playoff spot and venue for the final still to be decided.
At the top of the table, the Central Gauteng Lions (23 points) and EP Warriors (21) have already secured their places in the playoffs, but the race for top spot remains wide open.
The Lions will confirm a first-place finish with victory over Boland in Paarl on Saturday.
However, should they stumble, the Warriors, who face the KZN Inland Tuskers at St George’s Park will have an opportunity to leapfrog them into first place.
In the event of a tie on points between the two sides, the Warriors will finish top by virtue of having more wins.
Importantly, finishing first carries a significant reward, with the top-placed team automatically qualifying for the final on Sunday, 29 March.
The teams finishing second and third will meet in the qualifier playoff on Wednesday to determine the second finalist.
The battle for the final playoff position is equally compelling. Boland (13 points) remain in contention but face a must-win encounter against the Lions.
A defeat would see them eliminated, opening the door for the winner of the clash between the Northerns Titans and the North West Dragons in Centurion to secure third place.
The Titans and Dragons are level on 14 points, with net run rate and head-to-head results set to play a decisive role if needed.
The Titans hold the advantage in a potential tie between the two sides, while Boland would edge the Dragons in the event of a tie due to having more wins.
The fixture between the KZN Dolphins and Western Province at the Kingsmead will have no bearing on the playoff race, with both teams already eliminated, alongside the Tuskers.
Meanwhile, the Division 2 One-Day Cup concludes on Sunday with the final between the Free State Knights and Eastern Cape Iinyathi in Kimberley.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images