Lions to break boundaries and run
Toyana confident his veterans will come good with bat in One-Day Cup
THE BIZHUB Highveld Lions know exactly what their shortcomings were in the Momentum One-Day Cup last season, and in order to fix them, they’ll be relying on a few old heads again.
The Lions managed just three wins last season finishing well off the pace, mainly on account of their under-performing batsmen.
A useful comparison to draw is with defending champions, the Titans, who topped totals of 300 three times last season, while their batsmen scored eight centuries. The Lions’ highest total was 291/5, and their batsmen scored just four centuries between them.
Two of those centuries were scored by the ageless Neil McKenzie, a third came from Stephen Cook and it is once again to those two, plus the other veteran Alviro Petersen, to whom the Lions will look for the bulk of their runs.
The Lions start their OneDay Cup campaign against the Cape Cobras at The Wanderers on Saturday, and coach Geoffrey Toyana has put the side through its paces in the last few weeks. “It’s been a long off-season, but fortunately some of the guys have had some cricket. For the guys that haven’t, we squeezed in a three-day game against the Cobras in Potchefstroom last week,” said Toyana this week.
The Lions held two practices at the Bullring this week to try and get acclimatised to game situations which also give the players a chance to feel leather on willow once more.
Petersen has played more regularly than most of his teammates, owing to a stint with English county Lancashire recently. Toyana will hope the 34-year-old – who will, if the practice games are anything to go by, bat at No 3 – can bring the form he showed in the four-day county championship rather than the domestic English one-day cup. In that latter competition, Petersen averaged just 29.66. There were healthier returns in the first class competition, with three centuries, an aggregate of 861 runs and an average of 43.05.
Along with Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma – who is set to leave after the third match to join the Proteas in India – the Lions appear to have the necessary batting resources to make a good start.
“In terms of the batting I’m not worried,” said Toyana.
Rather his focus is on trying to strike the right balance with his attack. In that regard, the Lions have many options. Lonwabo Tsotsobe is fit and raring to go, while Hardus Viljoen should get over a knee niggle in time for Saturday’s match.
Those two should lead the attack, but then Toyana has to decide between playing the extra seamer with Pumelela Matshikwe at the head of the queue alongside Dwaine Pretorius, who is likely to fulfil the all-rounder duties.
With Eddie Leie and Aaron Phangiso on national duty, spin will be provided by slow leftarm orthodox tweaker Bjorn Fortuin. “He’s a laaitjie that plays with no fear, it doesn’t matter who is batting, he consistently hits the good areas in much the same way as Phangy does. I see a good future for this kid,” an excited Toyana remarked.
Saturday’s match starts at 2pm.