It has been a stop-start campaign for the Warriors in the CSA T20 Challenge, with rain robbing them of any chance to build some early momentum.
In the team’s four games they have had two washed out, one without a ball being bowled, the other their most recent outing against the Lions at Buffalo Park where they only managed to bat 18.4 overs.
One of their other two matches was also rain-affected, their only win of the competition so far – a four-run Duckworth/Lewis-assisted win against the Titans – while they finally got in a full game against the Cobras, which turned out to be a heavy seven-wicket loss.
So, out of the four matches, where the Warriors could have batted and bowled a maximum of 80 overs each, they have managed to bat only 44.4 overs and bowl 35.5.
“It would be nice if we could get some cricket going and get some momentum – it has been a bit stop-start, but there is nothing we can do,” Warriors coach Rivash Gobind said.
“So our preparation has to be spot-on and hopefully the weather will open up for us and we can get in a good run of games, so we are looking forward to that.”
With six pool stage matches remaining before the knockouts, the Warriors will hope to get in some decent game time to secure themselves a place in the playoffs.
They will have the advantage of playing four of those six games at home, but the next will be away in Durban against the Dolphins.
“When we get into the back end of the competition hopefully we will be able to take advantage of our home conditions,” Gobind said.
“But every game in this competition is important, so with six games left in the comp we will need to be at our best.”
The Warriors will look to take a small bit of momentum from the Lions game into the Dolphins match – when rain called proceedings to a halt they were in the ascendancy.
Having been in trouble at 58/4 in the 10th over, a superb fightback led by Marco Marais’ unbeaten 33-ball 82 and 38 from Sinethemba Qeshile had them in a solid position at 155/5 with eight balls remaining.
“It was a very special innings to get us back into a reasonable position in the game, but that is something exciting about this group of players – that sort of knock can come from a lot of guys in this lineup,” Gobind said.
“I thought the way Marco played there was outstanding. I am sure people have watched a lot of cricket on this ground and seen him do it for Border, and it is fantastic he has now done it for us, and hopefully it is an innings that opens up his actual potential at this level.
“If we can put it together in the power play and set a base for guys like Marco to come in, I think then we are going to be a very dangerous side.”
The team will hope for a full game in Durban on Wednesday with no rain intervention, so they can aim for a momentum-building win to take into their final five pool games of the competition.