The 50-over contest will get underway at 10h00 (SAST) from the Mangaung Oval, with the winners joining South Africa’s ‘Top Six’ domestic teams in Division One for the 2023/24 season, replacing the relegated Glencore North West Dragons.

The action will be streamed live on YouTube via the @ProteasWomenCSA page on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Pool A log-leaders, Free State completed the league phase of the One-Day Cup with four wins in four matches, taking 19 points, including three bonus points. Meanwhile, Northern Cape claimed three wins out of four, with one abandoned fixture, to top Pool B with a seven-point cushion.

In undefeated campaigns thus far, Free State and the Heat have had leading players with both bat and ball. Free State captain, Yolandi Potgieter notched up three half-centuries on her way to recording 248 runs in four innings. Her opposite number from Northern Cape, Susan Benade, led her side with the bat with 129 runs at an average of 64.50.

With ball in hand, Free State’s Zintle Kula finished with the fifth best bowling average of 9.75, bagging eight wickets for 78 runs in four regular season outings. Medium pacer Bernadette Greef was the leading bowler for Northern Cape, with best figures of five for 19 against Limpopo last month.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s all-or-nothing tie, Potgieter reflects on the season that has been before focusing on their opponents.

“We had a very successful campaign,” the host skipper began. “Our main goal at the start of the season was to make the play-off game so we have put in a lot of work; working on game plans and making sure that we execute come each game day.

“There isn’t a lot of games for the teams playing in the second division, so we had to make extra sure that we are on the money come every game. The girls did very well during the season and I am very proud of them.

“Northern Cape are definitely a team that can’t be underestimated this coming Saturday.

“They have a few key players that can change the game in a couple of overs, so we are going to have to be right on the money but we spoke about it and we didn’t want to focus too much on them as a team but rather focusing more on us and what our game plan is going to be on Saturday,” she added.

Northern Cape leader and top-order batter, Benade also had kind words for their rivals before choosing to look at their own achievements and what promotion will mean to Northern Cape cricket if it is accomplished.

“Free State did very well this season and they are a strong side but we are also did very well and that is the kind of confidence we have to take into the clash on Saturday. If we can take confidence on all the stuff that we improved on, the goals we set, the goals that we achieved and improved on, we will do really well.

“The team that will do the basics well on Saturday will be the winners at the end of the day. We are ready for the clash and we will leave nothing in the tank and that’s all we can really do,” Benade said.

“The Union has given us a lot of support and a lot of effort has gone into the team over the years and over the season, so they will just be proud of us, proud of the team and the province to know that they have been a part of this.

“We owe them a great thanks and it will be a great celebration for all of us together if we can manage to achieve this (promotion),” she concluded.