EP, Border aiming to keep unbeaten three-day status
BORDER and Eastern Province will both be out to protect their unbeaten starts to the 2017-18 Sunfoil 3-Day Cup season as they head into battle at Buffalo Park today.
Border have drawn one and won one of their two matches so far, beating Western Province last time out.
EP have drawn all three of their matches.
However, both teams have had a bit of a break, with Border last in action almost four weeks ago, while EP have had a three-week break, so both sides will need to hit the ground running.
“It is always a very good match. It is a local derby and there is always a bit extra in the game when we take on Eastern Province,” Border coach Frank Plaatjes said.
In all, Border have won three games and drawn one so far, including their CSA Provincial One Day Challenge results.
“It has been a really good start, but it is still very early in the season, so we must not get ahead of ourselves and just focus on the task at hand, which is EP,” Plaatjes said.
To get a result in three-day cricket, teams have to get off to a fast start and Border will be targeting that against EP.
“We just need to follow our processes and keep it simple. If we do all of the basics right the result will take care of itself,” Plaatjes said.
“But we will be targeting a good first-innings score.
“We back our bowlers to put in a good performance, so we want our batting to support them well with a good effort first up.”
EP will be gunning for a first win in the three-day competition and will be eager to get a positive result over their closest rivals.
“It is normally an exciting game against Border,” EP coach Piet Botha said.
“We have a lot of respect for them as they have become a very competitive and experienced team.
“So we know we really have to be at our best to compete.
“Hopefully, we can play good enough cricket to put the pressure on them.
“We certainly have the players to do it and we are really looking forward to the match.
“The first innings is always very important. Whether we bat or bowl first, it is always that first innings that defines how the match will go and we have to get off to a strong start if we want to win the match.”
The game gets under way at 10am today.
After the three-day match, Border and EP will compete in their one day encounter on Sunday, starting at 9.30am.
The squads are: