Embarrassment of riches at Titans
BOUCHER: WE ARE FACING TOUGH SELECTION DECISIONS Knights arrive at Centurion with a point to prove.
Starting the defence of the other domestic title they hold at home and being able to field halfa-dozen of the regulars who claimed the T20 crown will both be to the Titans’ advantage as they begin their Momentum One-Day Cup campaign against the Knights in Centurion today.
While the Test players have now left the fold, Shaun von Berg is playing for the SA Invitation XI in Paarl and Henry Davids and Lungi Ngidi are injured, the Titans will still be able to call on Heinrich Klaasen, Farhaan Behardien, Albie Morkel, David Wiese, Malusi Siboto and Junior Dala for their match against the Knights, such is their depth of talent.
Coach Mark Boucher said yesterday that although he still faces tough selection decisions, he is hoping the handful of players who are eager to get back into the team will negate any hangover from the T20 triumph.
“I love to have options and it’s obviously nice to have a guy like Heino Kuhn back, although he hasn’t played a lot of cricket. The core are still working hard at their games and we have a couple of new guys coming in, so there are a few decisions to be made.
“The guys coming in are all very keen to play and the test for us is whether we can bring the same high intensity especially after winning the T20 – you go from a high to a low. That competition is tough, there’s a lot of pressure and suddenly it just stops. Plus everyone’s in holiday mode now, all your mates are on holiday. That’s where you’ve got to rely on your professionalism – the guys have to switch on,” Boucher told The Citizen.
While Davids missed the last two games in the RamSlam T20 Challenge due to a knee injury, the potential absence of Ngidi, who pulled a muscle in training yesterday, would obviously be a massive blow.
The unavailability of wrist-spinner Von Berg means Gregory Mahlokwana, who has the unique distinction of being able to bowl left-arm orthodox as well as right-arm off-breaks, could well make his first competitive appearance of the summer for the Titans.
The Knights come to Centurion still feeling the pain of their failed T20 campaign and even without regular captain Theunis de Bruyn, they will pose a very decent challenge to the defending champions.