Adams looks at the bigger picture
DON’T be alarmed by the Western Cape teams’ failures in the Africa T20 Cup, says Cape Cobras coach Paul Adams.
The franchise mentor was with both the Western Province and Boland sides in Benoni and Potchefstroom respectively, where both teams failed to progress beyond the first round.
Adams, though, believes the exercise was still good preparation for the coming season. The Cobras open their season with a One-Day Cup match against the Lions at the Wanderers on October 10. “Although the results as teams weren’t forthcoming, I am not overly disappointed with what has transpired,” Adams said yesterday. “I think it was important for me to look at the pipeline. It was important for me to see how certain players performed under pressure. T20 cricket creates those types of scenarios and we have a clearer picture of where certain players are in their development now.
“It was also important to open the lines of communication between myself and the semi-pro coaches and involve them in our thinking at franchise level in terms of which areas to focus on with regard to the bigger picture.”
Adams is busy preparing his team for a two-week pre-season tour to Johannesburg, Pretoria and Oudtshoorn. The Cobras and Lions will play in a threeday match starting on Saturday, before two 50-over matches against the University of Pretoria, the national club champions, on September 23 and 24.
The Cobras then return home before facing the Warriors in two further warm-up matches in Oudtshoorn on September 29 and 30. “The pre-season tour will be invaluable for us because it will be the first time we (the Cobras) get together as a group out in the middle. We haven’t had much time outdoors due to the weather here in Cape Town, so we will definitely be looking to get some miles into the bowlers’ legs, especially in that three-day game against the Lions,” Adams said.
“Tukkies will provide good competitive opposition in the one-day games too. Those games are about formulating game plans and working on our one-day structures. We have a few new things we want to trial in our one-day game and it will be a good opportunity to see how things go before the season starts proper.”
The Cobras will once again boast one of the strongest squads, with plenty of tough selection points to consider as the season draws closer. The abundance of bowlers will, of course, be the biggest headache for Adams as he has to form a unit from Dane Paterson, Mthokozisi Shezi, Rory Kleinveldt, Vernon Philander, Wayne Parnell, Tshepo Moreki, Beuran Hendricks, Robin Peterson, Dane Piedt and George Linde.
Parnell and Hendricks are currently out injured, though, while Kleinveldt is still on English County Championship duty and will no doubt need a break after a lengthy season.
“We do have plenty of bowlers, but it is still going to be key to keep everyone fit throughout the season,” said Adams. “We play plenty of cricket and how we manage this group going forward is going to be very important. Parny (Parnell) has started his bowling rehab and will join us for the Tuks matches, so that will be a good opportunity to see where he is at.”