The Durban Heat suffered a major blow in their bid to reach the Mzansi Super League play-offs after their penultimate match of the regular season against basement side Jozi Stars was abandoned due to rain in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Wet weather has struck Gauteng all week, taking out another game just up the road between the Tshwane Spartans and the Stars on Thursday.

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That result was a blow to the Centurion-based outfit, who themselves lost ground in the race for the top three and now the Heat have suffered the same fate.

Heavy rain meant the game at the Wanderers was always in doubt, with the match abandoned even before the toss was scheduled midday.

The result, the fourth abandonment for the Durbanites, leaves them on 20 points and with fate no longer in their own hands.

They must hope that the Spartans (21 points) fail to win their final match against the Cape Town Blitz (17) on Sunday and then beat the Stars in their return fixture in Durban on Tuesday.

Defendig champions Jozi moved on to four points as a result of Saturday’s outcome – their total coming from two washouts as they remain without a win in 2019.

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