Warriors up against tide in Dolphins clash

THE outcomes of the Warriors’ next two games in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge cricket tournament are likely to prove crucial in the team’s bid to qualify for playoffs.

Both games will be played at home, first against the Dolphins in East London tomorrow night followed by the Titans in Port Elizabeth next Saturday.

Both of these fixtures ended in away defeats for the Warriors in the first round but playing in conditions familiar to them could go some way to clinching the deal.

Colin Ingram’s team is one win away from the playoff berths on a congested middle section of the log and the skipper knows how important two wins will be before heading into the final stretch of three fixtures in five days.

“You don’t want to be going into the last week of the competition chasing the game. I think these next two home games are massively important. If we can get a couple of wins there, it really puts us in a good position going into our last three games,” Ingram said yesterday.

The in-form left-hander is pleased to be heading back to East London where the Warriors have played well in recent times.

“Over the last few years we’ve been really dominant there. I think we’ve just had a good game plan and we’ve stuck to it over the past five years or so. We’ve had a lot of success there and we have confidence going to that ground.”

The last time the Warriors met the Dolphins they were slapped around by a rampant Kevin Pietersen, whose five-match contract has since run its course.

“It’s nice to see the back of him .

.

. I think

most teams will be saying that,” Ingram smiled. “He definitely came out and produced the goods. But in saying that, when we did play against the Dolphins in the last round their experienced players in David Miller and Morne van Wyk both stepped up.”

Pietersen’s replacement is no slouch either. Dwayne Bravo is a proven match-winner.

But Ingram is confident his team has what it takes to turn the tables on the Dolphins.

The Warriors captain says he does expect too many changes to the starting 11.

“I think we have a very similar line-up. In terms of practice and training we’ve been outstanding through the season so far from the One-Day Cup into the Ram Slam. I don’t want to see too much different. We’ve got a good feeling among the camp for what we want to do especially these two home games coming up.”