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Dolphins keen to cast down ‘peerless’ Titans

THE TITANS have things to rectify in 50-over cricket, and they plan to start doing just that from this afternoon, when they host the Dolphins in the opening salvo of the 2016/17 Momentum One-Day Cup.

Despite dominating last season’s domestic campaign, with the T20 Challenge trophy as well as the four-day title, they fell embarrassingly short of those standards in the other format of the game.

Stone last, in fact, is where they ended up on the log, and coach Mark Boucher is very eager to set that record straight.

“We were bottom last season and hopefully we can do a bit better than that this year. We’ve got a good squad and one that is far better than just getting the wooden spoon. So, we’ll be looking for massive improvements on last year.”

Boucher admitted that his side’s batting was the downfall in the final game of a thrilling four-day competition, but that same unit has an immediate chance to make amends.

“We probably came up short with our batting in the Sunfoil Series, but it is a new competition and we’ve got some new faces in as well,” Boucher said of the past week in Pretoria.

“Our preparation has been very good and hopefully we can ride off the T20 win we had because it’s the same sort of set-up here.”

Certainly, the Titans were almost without peer in the T20 campaign. They have lost a chunk of that now, though, with star man Farhaan Behardien on tour with the Proteas.

However, the depth in the Pretoria ranks is such that they still have the Morkel Brothers back, and with Morne having a point to prove.

The lanky paceman has had an extended time on the sidelines, and this is the time for him to prove his fitness, with massive national engagements on the horizon.

Big brother Albie is still captain, and still a potent finisher with the blade. The Titans’ other trump card is Dean Elgar at the top of the order. The Test stalwart has often spoken of his desire to be regarded as an option in international white-ball cricket, and this tournament gives him another chance to stake a claim.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, have lofty ambitions of their own and are under the leadership of Khaya Zondo now.

“We are very excited about the upcoming 50-over competition and looking back I feel that in the Sunfoil Series we didn’t deliver a fourth place performance, I think we were better than that,” coach Grant Morgan explained.

“I also just want to say that I am really excited to see Khaya taking over the captaincy and honoured in the way that Morne (van Wyk) gave up the role,” Morgan enthused.

The men from the coast have bulked up their batting reserves, with Sarel Erwee returning from a hand injury and the rubber-wristed Cody Chetty also back in the frame. Importantly, all-rounder Keshav Maharaj makes his return from a groin injury, too, and the national selectors will keep an eye on him with the Test series in New Zealand not far away. On paper, the Titans look ominous, with experience and plenty of domestic dominators. But, the Dolphins, looking to usher in a new era, will fancy themselves on what is always a belter of a batting wicket at Centurion.

Titans:

Albie Morkel (capt), Junior Dala, Henry Davids, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Heino Kuhn, Gregory Mahlokwana, Aiden Markram, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Morne Morkel, Malusi Siboto, Jonathan Vandiar and David Wiese.

Khaya Zondo (capt), Cody Chetty, Rabian Engelbrecht, Sarel Erwee, Rob Frylinck, Keshav Maharaj, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kyle Nipper, Calvin Savage, Morné van Wyk, Mthokozisi Shezi, Prenelan Subrayen and Vaughn van Jaarsveld

Dolphins: