Warriors to ignite spark for Knights
Team effort plays great role in success
THE Warriors take their next step en route to trophy glory when they host the Knights in a CSA T20 Challenge cricket match at St George’s Park tonight (6pm).
The Eastern Cape franchise is riding the crest of the wave having dispatched the Lions at the same venue in emphatic fashion on Friday.
It has been six years since the Warriors last held aloft a piece of South African domestic silverware and there is renewed hope that this could be the year they finally bring it home for their fans again.
They have been impressive in the competition to date having won three of their four matches to currently hold second position behind the Titans with two games in hand.
Coach Malibongwe Maketa has been hesitant to identify anybody specific as having been key to their success, saying rather that it has been a team effort.
Indeed it has, for the most part, but there is no doubt that Christiaan Jonker and JonJon Smuts have played major roles in the campaign so far. Jonker, known as “The Finisher”, has been devastating with the bat in the two most recent games. On Friday night, he clubbed 49 not out off only 18 balls to ease the Warriors to their victory target of 153 with more than two overs to spare.
He is bound to play a massive role again tonight. The Knights will do well to bowl well outside of offstump, keeping the ball off his pads.
Captain Smuts could easily be described as the competition’s most valuable player. Not only is he successful and explosive at the top of the order with the bat, but he is also among the leading bowlers in the competition, conceding less then six to the over in the four games so far.
“It’s been a good start,” the coach said. “We wanted to really, really make sure we start well and I think we have. From here forward it’s about taking it game-by-game and making sure we build on what we’ve already done.”
Another Warriors star, Colin Ingram has been named in the squad, but faces a late fitness test.
The Knights, who have only won one match in five so far, will be without star Proteas batsman David Miller. Miller has a calf injury and failed to pass his fitness ahead of the game. They will rely heavily on the likes of captain Theunis de Bruyn, Marchant de Lange and Duanne Olivier.
“We know it’s going to be tough because that’s how our games against them always tend to go, so we’re looking forward to the challenge,” said Maketa.
Knights coach Nicky Boje conceded things had not gone according to plan thus far, but refused to give up hope in the race for the playoffs.
“It’s difficult to say what’s gone wrong, but I think we’ve just lacked in one discipline in all the games,” Boje explained. “Either the batting wasn’t good, the bowling wasn’t good or the fielding.
“But it’s a work in process. We’re working hard at getting things right. We have five games left and working on winning all of them to get to the playoff. One or two wins and then hopefully we can go on a bit of a run.” The squads are: Warriors: Jon-Jon Smuts (capt), Colin Ackermann, Andrew Birch, Gihahn Cloete, Clyde Fortuin (w/k), Aya Gqamane, Colin Ingram, Christiaan Jonker, Sisanda Magala, Lesiba Ngoepe, Solomzi Nqweni, Somila Seyibokwe, Basheer Walters, David White
Knights: Tumelo Bodibe (w/k), Patrick Botha, Theunis de Bruyn (capt), Marchant De Lange, Andries Gous, Patrick Kruger, Leus du Plooy, Duanne Olivier, Lotli Sesele, Aubrey Swanepoel, Schadley van Schalkwyk, Lwandiswa Zuma
● The “Win a Million” catching competition will be in play at this game and fans will have a chance of winning their share of R1-million. Also fans downloading the Warriors App will receive a free ticket and one lucky spectator could win up to R6 000 if he or she catches three balls hit by the Warriors 12thman. In addition to this, the Warriors will donate R1 000 for every catch taken to The Herald’s Christmas Cheer Fund. —