The Nelson Mandela Bay Giants face a crucial six-day period in their Mzansi Super League campaign, starting with the Cape Town Blitz at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday (7pm).
The match against the log leaders is the start of a hectic schedule that sees them playing three home games in the next six days.
With three wins from their four matches so far and their two most recent triumphs coming on the bounce, the Giants have an opportunity to create serious momentum.
Granted, it is tough to carry on winning endlessly when one takes into consideration the vagaries of T20 cricket.
But if the Giants somehow manage to take advantage of home conditions against the Blitz on Tuesday night, the Paarl Rocks on Friday (2pm) and the Jozi Stars on Sunday (3.30pm) it will go some way to clinching a berth in the top three playoff spots.
The Giants have only played one home game so far, smashing the highly rated Durban Heat by nine wickets on Friday, and coach Eric Simons recognizes the importance of winning in their own backyard.
“In any competition like this, you need to understand your home ground,” he said.
“You need to understand and you need to play well.
“I mean we played probably pretty close to the perfect game against the Durban Heat last week, so one would want to do that again.
“We are up against the Cape Town Blitz, who are obviously a very good side. I think we’ve got a good side for any conditions and obviously knowing we were going to play five games in Port Elizabeth, we sat with that thought in the draft.
“If we can set the game up with our bowling and bowl with the same discipline on Tuesday, then obviously we are going to be a tough side to beat.”
Simons said there were still areas to work on after their victory over the Tshwane Spartans in Centurion on Sunday.
“I don’t think we played great cricket, to be honest.
“It’s good to obviously win when you aren’t playing the perfect game.
“We lost early wickets and we lost soft wickets. Some of the decision-making wasn’t ideal but, as I said, if you win these games then that’s great.
“I still think we were favorites if the game ran its course,” he said of the seven-run Duckworth-Lewis Method victory on Sunday.
One player to shine on Sunday was Giants batsman Marco Marais, who top-scored with 47 against the Spartans.
Marais is feeling his way into franchise cricket having starred for Border in recent seasons and says Simons has been helping him to make the transition.
His partnership with JonJon Smuts at the top of the order will be key for the Giants.
Also important for the home team will be the performance of spinners Aaron Phangiso and Imran Tahir while Junior Dala has been impressive with the new ball.