WARRIORS IN WITH TITLE CHANCE
But winning final three Sunfoil matches vital
THE permutation is pretty simple for the Warriors heading into their final three Sunfoil Series matches of the season. Win them all and there is an extremely good chance of them claiming the title for the first time since the inception of franchise cricket in 2004-2005.
Easier said than done, though, in a season where victories have proved difficult to come by for all six franchise teams.
The top five teams have only managed to win two matches each out of their seven or eight games played and that has kept matters tight between those positions.
So, it is anybody’s title to grab really, with only the Cobras seemingly out of the race.
The Warriors are 13 points off the log-leading Dolphins, but have a game in hand.
One half-decent victory from that game would see them leapfrog the Dolphins.
For their match against the Knights starting in Bloemfontein today, the Warriors will perhaps look to draw some inspiration from last season as they push for a rare piece of silverware.
The franchise endured a tough 2015-2016 campaign, losing their first eight matches, but they finished with a flourish in winning their final two games.
They will need to score big runs in their first innings.
It is in this sphere that Colin Ackermann will prove vital to their cause. He is the competition’s third highest runs-scorer with 669 in 11 innings.
Taking 20 wickets will also be a priority and Basheer Walters is among the leading performers in the country with the ball while young speedster Anrich Nortje impressed in the one match he has played for the side where he took nine wickets.
With batsmen of the likes of Theunis de Bruyn, Rilee Rossouw and Rudi Second in the opposition, the Warriors attack will need to be at its best.
Warriors coach Malibongwe Maketa is also thrilled to see his side in the mix in a competition they have recently struggled in.
“We haven’t done well in the past and I think to still be in the running with three games to go, we’re really happy with that,” was his assessment.
“But there’s still a lot of cricket to be played and we need to win, that’s going to be the challenge.
“What’s good is that so many other teams are in a similar position, so we can expect to see some positive cricket. Every session and every ball is critical at this stage of the season.
“With three games to go now, we need to get two wins at least if not three, to try to stake a claim for the trophy,” he said.
Knights coach Nicky Boje said: “Everyone’s looking forward to it. Three massive games ahead, but we’re ready to play.”
Boje did not want to predict what needed to be done in the remaining rounds, but wanted his charges firmly focused on the first job at hand, which is against the men from the Eastern Cape.
“They beat us in the first round and we’ll have to play well to beat them here.”
The Knights are also bolstered by the return of Duanne Olivier after he missed the last round of games to make his Proteas test debut.
Former Eastern Province bowler Akhona Kula will make his debut for the Knights.
The squads are: Warriors: Colin Ackermann, Andrew Birch, Gihahn Cloete, Gionne Koopman, Simon Harmer, Sisanda Magala, Edward Moore, Lesiba Ngoepe, Anrich Nortje, Tladi Bokako, Mohammed Vallie, Basheer Walters, Somila Seyibokwe Knights: Akhona Kula, Mbulelo Budaza, Theunis de Bruyn (capt), Marchant de Lange, Michael Erlank, Patrick Kruger, Luthando Mnyanda, Duanne Olivier, Keegan Petersen, Rilee Rossouw, Rudi Second, Johan van Dyk ý The latest log is (seven games unless stated): 1 Dolphins 78.66 (8), 2 Titans 70.76, 3 Lions 67.18, 4 Knights 66.98, 5 Warriors 65.62, 6 Cobras 52.14. -- Additional reporting by CSA
Every session and every ball is critical at this stage of the season