Mighty Titans are eager for a scrap
THE travelling T20 All-Stars, aka, the Titans take their show to their alternative home in Benoni tonight, hopeful of being tested a bit more than has been the case hitherto in the T20 Challenge when they face the Dolphins.
Albie Morkel’s men have been in cruise control through the first four rounds of the competition, swatting aside opponents while opening up an 11-point lead on the standings. They’ve already qualified for the playoffs, they’ll probably win a couple of more games and secure a home semi-final and then with another couple of wins top spot, and the honour of hosting the final at SuperSport Park on December 16.
Dominance by one team can become boring of course, although boredom at watching the Titans win is off-set by the brilliance in which they go about winning. Whether it’s AB de Villiers sweeping Kagiso Rabada for six, Dale Steyn bowling at close to his fastest or Tabraiz Shamsi charging in off the boundary to take a one-handed diving catch after he had told his teammates he’d do so just that before the match, there is no doubting the Titans are the most fun sporting ticket in town at the moment.
However that doesn’t mean they’re entirely happy with how they have played. Morkel wants his team to be tested, and said he has not always been happy with their fielding and feels the bowlers haven’t always performed with discipline.
He is also concerned about the balance of his team, saying six frontline batsmen – himself included – is not a number he prefers.
“If we lose two wickets early, we have to play a bit differently, so that is a concern for us,” said Morkel.
With Steyn back in Cape Town for some extra work strengthening his shoulder, following three consecutive matches it appears David Wiese
will get his second start of the tournament at Willowmoore Park tonight. That will provide some extra depth to the Titans’ batting. Quinton de Kock has not been included in the squad either, with the big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen getting an opportunity. That is likely to mean Aiden Markram, who has been in terrific form all season, will shift up to open the innings alongside veteran Henry Davids – so it’s not as if the Titans are being significantly weakened.
Morkel recognises that the Dolphins are a well-balanced side with strong batting led by skipper Khaya Zondo, which is supplemented by Dane Vilas and Sarel Erwee. In Andile Phehlukwayo and Robbie Frylinck they have two bruising all-rounders who are also among the best “death” bowlers in the competition, while Keshav Maharaj and Imran Tahir provide control and an attacking threat.
It will certainly be a test for the Titans batsmen facing such an attack, which in turn will examine how good the bowling is. Morkel’s bowlers have only had to execute their “death” bowling at training and is keen for them to be put under pressure in a match so that those elements can be analysed.
If it smacks of a bit of arrogance from the Titans, it genuinely isn’t. They are a team very keen to push the boundaries this season and the level of competition – despite a number of big names in the opposition ranks – has not allowed them to do so. This weekend’s fixtures: Friday (start 6pm) - Titans vs Dolphins, Benoni; Knights vs Warriors, Bloemfontein; Cape Cobras vs Highveld Lions, Paarl. Sunday - Warriors vs Lions, Newlands (12pm); Cobras vs Knights, Newlands (4pm)