Gobind eyes perfect end to tenure
Outgoing coach Rivash Gobind bids farewell to Port Elizabeth this week but not before his Warriors face the Titans in a CSA 4-Day Domestic Series fixture starting at St George’s Park on Monday.
On Friday, Gobind will swap franchise cricket for the international stage and joins head coach Lance Klusener as an assistant with the Afghanistan national side.
The pair worked together at the Dolphins and will be reunited for a new challenge.
But the 37-year-old Gobind will be wanting to hit the road with back-to-back wins.
After losing their opening fixture against the Knights, the Warriors bounced back to beat the Lions by three wickets in East London last week.
This Warriors squad is a young one but it is also bursting with talent.
“It’s my last game at the Warriors,” Gobind said. “It is a bitter-sweet feeling that’s for sure.
“But I leave behind a very strong group of players and hopefully a team that’s in a better place than when I inherited it.
“The growth that a lot of these guys have shown in the short space of time is something that really excited me.”
Opener Matthew Breetzke and allrounder Onke Nyaku stood tall when it was needed against the Lions.
Needing 165 to win, the Warriors slipped precariously to 67 for five.
But Breetzke (59) and Nyaku 58 not out knuckled down and made sure their team got over the line.
“We’re pretty happy with the result; it was quite a tight game,a real scrap and I said we fought very well in every innings and with every opportunity we had,” Gobind said.
“I was very pleased for the guys who batted on the last day, Onke [Nyaku] and Matthew [Breetzke].
“They showed a lot of maturity and that’s really going to be good for them and for their careers.”
Gobind said the team would now turn their attention to what would be a tough encounter against the Titans.
The Warriors have had the edge over their opponents in recent years, winning two of their last four meetings. The other two games were draws.
“It’s always a big battle against them.
“They’ve started the season pretty strongly as they always do.
“But we’ll be at St George’s Park for our first game there this season and I’m sure all the lads will be excited.
“Hopefully, we get a good four days.
“We know it will be tough, but we’ll be aiming to come out on top.”