So who will be the One-Day Cup kings?
THE final portion of a frenetic domestic campaign is upon us, with the One-Day Cup kicking off this week.
Already, the 2016-17 season has served up plenty of drama, with the Titans pipping a gallant Warriors outfit in the final over to win the T20 Challenge.
The Sunfoil Series competition, often derided for too many draws and stodgy cricket, was a revelation this year, with less than two points separating the winners from the runners-up.
The Knights ended their seven-year drought in some style, trouncing the Lions by an innings – at “The Bullring”, nogal – and bagging all the bonus points they needed to zoom past the Titans on the final weekend.
It was brazen, brilliant cricket from the men from Bloemfontein, and they will now be eyeing the 50-over competition to make it a season to really remember in the heart of the country.
But, they know only too well that there are five other franchises chomping at the bit to get their hands on the One-Day Cup.
The Lions are the defending champions, and Geoff Toyana’s charges would have been hurt by the manner of their capitulation in the final leg of the Sunfoil Series.
For a few years, the Lions were the benchmark of South African cricket, thrilling all and sundry with their positive style.
Following their successes last term, and their trophy earlier this season, the Titans looked set to be the new, dominant force in domestic cricket.
They were a good weekend away from making it a “double-double” with the four-day crown again, but the Knights had other ideas.
Mark Boucher and his men kick off the campaign on Friday night, as they host the Dolphins in Pretoria. The Titans will be looking for a fast start, and they will surely be still hurting from letting the Sunfoil Series slip from their grasp.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, are desperate for success. Their RamSlam success from three seasons back now feels forever ago, and they will want to bring back the glory days to Durban. Their best players have been their experienced men, and they will be relieved to see Morne van Wyk back in action come Friday.
Elsewhere, the Cobras seem to have turned a considerable corner under Ashwell Prince, and they appeared happy and united during their week in Durban. A trophy to end a tumultuous season would be most welcome under Table Mountain.
The Warriors, who visit the Lions on Sunday, are also a side in need of a pick-me-up, after a tough Sunfoil Series campaign. They have individuals who continue to shine in patches, but the collective displays that characterised their march to the T20 Challenge final are a distant memory.
The Knights, who might have stopped partying now, host the Cobras on Saturday, and they will expect Bloemfontein to come out and salute them as champions. The only way to keep the crowd coming back is to win another game, and they will fancy this one, especially with a top-order in ripe batting form.