Sunfoil series goes to the wire
While most of the public’s attention at this time of the cricket season is on the national team and the New Zealand tour they are about to embark on‚ the exciting Sunfoil Series has been flying under the radar.
Not since the formation of franchise cricket in the 2003-04 season has the four-day competition gone down to the wire.
This especially after the scrapping of the final 11 years ago after two turgid finals in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons‚ when play-it-safe draws punctuated the four-day game.
This is about as close to squeaky bum as first-class cricket without a final can be‚ following closely on what transpired in the first division of England’s county championship where Somerset‚ Yorkshire and Middlesex were all in with a shout. The Lord’s-based Middlesex prevailed with a win over defending champions Yorkshire in a pulsating final session.
Provided the weather plays ball‚ the two Highveld encounters and the coastal clash should provide a fitting conclusion to an exciting season.
The scenarios:
Theoretically‚ this should be the easiest game of the lot with Mark Boucher’s side odds-on to beat the bottom-placed side.
The only reason the Warriors are bottom of the log is because they have lost the most matches (four) but they have run teams very close‚ hence the points they have accumulated.
Capitulation has not been the theme of Malibongwe Maketa’s side even though they have not been the best of chasers.
However‚ they have it in them to draw out the game and potentially cause heart palpitations for the hosts.
Logic should dictate a win for the Knights but the Lions have conjured up wins when it has been least expected.
The Lions will have to play out of their skins like they did in East London to beat the Warriors to have a remote chance of reclaiming the title they won in the 2014-15 season.
The Knights have been a consistent bunch but their defeat to the Cape Cobras in Paarl has set them back.
They would have been in pole position if their batsmen had not squandered the hard work their bowlers put in.
The Dolphins will rue the fact they let the Titans sneak away in Pietermaritzburg but one has to stop and marvel at the Cape Cobras’ resurgence.
Clearly a refreshed and energised side under Ashwell Prince’s stewardship‚ they have found a way to be in contention after being down and out after the first round where they lost three and drew two.
Their three wins have come in the new year and there is an element of potency in all the facets of their game.
Both sides will need Durban’s notoriously fickle weather to behave if they are to have a chance.