The Proteas’ Test squad specialists get their last opportunity to fine-tune their game ahead of the Castle Test series against Bangladesh when the fifth round of SuperSport Series matches starts around the country on Thursday.
Four members of the Test squad not involved in either the MTN ODI series against Bangladesh and Kenya or the Standard Bank Pro20 International against Bangladesh have been able to get a fair amount of four-day cricket under the belt and national coach Mickey Arthur has been very pleased with the performance levels.
Neil McKenzie of the Highveld Lions (65.25) is near the top of the SuperSport Series batting averages while Makhaya Ntini of the Warriors (22 wickets at an incredible 10.86) and Paul Harris of the Titans (12 wickets at 17) occupy the top two places on the bowling averages.
Two other Proteas, who are in both the Castle Test and Standard Bank ODI squads, have also done well from limited opportunities with JP Duminy of the Cape Cobras averaging 61.60 with the bat and being one of the handful of players to have scored more than 300 runs so far, and Morne Morkel of the Titans being fourth on the bowling list with 17 wickets at 19.17.
For good measure Morkel also ranks among the top 20 batsmen. The only player to have missed out so far is national vice-captain Ashwell Prince who has made several starts without going on to put substantial runs on the board. He, however, has every chance to put that right this weekend when he returns to his “home from home” to play for the Warriors against the Cape Cobras.
Paarl, the venue for this match, has witnessed a lot of runs this summer and Prince will be looking to cash in.
Time is running out for both the Cobras and the Dolphins, who host the champion Diamond Eagles at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, to score an elusive first outright win as the competition reaches the halfway mark. The Dolphins are under particular pressure as this is their fourth home game out of five.
A particularly close encounter is likely to be on the cards at SuperSport Park where the Titans take on the Highveld Lions in a fixture where neighbourhood rivalry often tends to come to the fore. The Titans are currently a short head in front of the Diamond Eagles on the log and will want to retain that advantage for a psychological boost going into the mid-competition break.
Thursday’s fixtures: Paarl: Nashua Cape Cobras v Chevrolet Warriors; Sahara Stadium Kingsmead: Nashua Dolphins v Gestetner Diamond Eagles; SuperSport Park: Nashua Titans v bizhub Highveld Lions
