TITANS READY FOR ANYTHING
THE TITANS wrapped up training for their RamSlam semi-final yesterday content that they’ve prepared in the best way possible and ready to resume dominating the tournament in the way they had before successive defeats at the end of the competition’s round-robin phase.
There had been question marks about the team put out by the defending champions and the performance put in against the Dolphins last Sunday – which saw the previously dominant Titans lose by 89 runs – but both coach Mark Boucher and captain Albie Morkel are content that the players are in a good space ahead of today’s semi-final at SuperSport Park against the Warriors.
“We put out teams to try and get through to the semis and once we’d achieved that, teams that we still thought could win and could compete, but that didn’t happen,” Boucher said about the Titans sides that lost the last two round-robin matches.
“Also we took into account the weather in Durban, I didn’t want guys to be in Cape Town, travel, play, then travel, and have one day to prepare for this semifinal. We were in a position, to prepare in our conditions, for a game at home, and have a day off in between, so we come into the semi-final fresh and that’s what I did,” Boucher added.
As for any momentum that may have been lost following an eight match unbeaten run being halted by those last two defeats, neither Boucher no Morkel are concerned.
“People might think we lost momentum; the game in Cape Town (against the Cobras, we never scored enough runs, but we could’ve and should’ve won it with the ball. On Sunday we played a completely new team,” said Morkel.
“I don’t think (the defeats) will have any bearing on how we play, it’s a new game, a semi-final, we’ll pick what we think is our strongest XI, and if you can’t get up for that game, there is something wrong with you. We’ve lost our last two yes, but we’ve played some fantastic cricket this season, so we want to take our good performances out of that into the game on Wednesday (today).”
The Titans clearly think that their best 11, for the semi-final, doesn’t need Dale Steyn, who according to Boucher will continue his training – to get more overs in his legs – ahead of the Test matches against Zimbabwe, India and Australia.
The Titans have, meanwhile, been bolstered by a significantly stronger batting line-up that includes AB de Villiers, and while respectful of the recent run of the Warriors – that saw them win three matches in a row to reach the semi-finals – the Titans are extremely confident of returning to SuperSport Park to contest the final on Saturday.
“They are a streetwise team, we understand that, we respect they have some great players, but we are more worried about what we do on the day, how we execute, … if we rock up and play to 100 percent of our ability then there shouldn’t be a team that competes with us.” said Boucher.
Today’s match starts at 6pm.
Albie Morkel (captain), Farhaan Behardien, Junior Dala, Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, Morné Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Malusi Siboto, Shaun von Berg