Morgan expects aggressive Titans
Patrick Compton
THERE’S a top-versus-bottom clash in the Sunfoil Series starting at SuperSport Park in Centurion today.
Who would have thought, even a month ago, that the Dolphins would be on top and the defending champions, the Titans, on the bottom?
But, remarkable as it may seem, that’s the way the cookie has crumbled so far this season with the Dolphins going on the road to beat the Warriors by an innings in East London and then completing a 77-run win over the Lions in Potchefstroom.
By contrast, the Titans were beaten at home by the Knights and then defeated by six wickets by the Warriors in Port Elizabeth.
It’s certainly been a sobering introduction to franchise coaching for “rookie” Mark Boucher.
“We have experienced two weeks of sub-standard cricket and we have had the swagger knocked out of us,” said Boucher bluntly.
His assistant, Mandla Mashimbyi, added: “We’ve had a tough two weeks and we have to be better. We need to be more switched on.”
Asked whether they may have been a bit complacent coming into the season, Mashimbyi did not think so.
“It’s difficult to say why we’ve been so poor,” he explained. “Perhaps the other teams have just played better than us.
“There are areas we need to work on, and we’ve done that this past week. Hopefully the fact that we’re playing the topof-the-table team will motivate us even further to make sure we don’t leave any stone unturned in our quest for victory.”
Farhaan Behardien, David Wiese and Aiden Markram have all been added to the squad, with Dean Elgar and Morne Morkel now away with the Proteas in Australia.
The Dolphins have regained Andile Phehlukwayo after his impressive start to life with the Proteas, but do miss their match-winner from their opening match against the Warriors, Keshav Maharaj, who has been rewarded with a trip Down Under.
Off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen and all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy also join the squad.
Dolphins coach Grant Morgan is expecting a strong reaction from the champions on the highveld.
“We’re expecting an aggressive contest and there’s no doubt the Titans are going to come out of the trenches firing this week, but we’re looking forward to it,” he said.
“For us, it’s a case of not thinking what can go wrong, but thinking what will go right.”
One of the little indicators of their success is the fact that the Dolphins have hung on to their last 15 successive chances in the field from early in the game in East London.
Captain Morne van Wyk gave a straight-faced reply to an earnest question about the importance of fielding, emphasising that “catches win matches”, before breaking into giggles along with Morgan and Frylinck.
The cause of the mirth is the fact that Morgan has introduced an “incentivisation programme” with the team that results in monetary rewards for players for a wide range of achievements in their batting, bowling and fielding.
Poor cricket, however, can result in greenbacks moving in the other direction.
So far, however, the players have cash in their pockets and smiles on their faces.
The other two matches starting today feature the Cobras against the Warriors at Newlands, while the Lions visit the Knights, in Kimberley.