Johannesburg – As the Titans continue their One Day Cup fightback against the Knights at the Diamond Oval on Friday, coach Rob Walter feels they would do well to cast their minds back to late October.
After the joint-defending champions suffered two defeats and a washout in the first half of the competition, Titans had their backs against the wall. However, two resounding victories at the end of October left them in striking distance of the top three on the table.
“I think it's important for us to remember the way we finished the last two rounds of the competition – we won one game with a bonus point and then chased down a substantial score in Port Elizabeth,” Walter said.
“We know that we're right in touch and if we have a good second half it will get us into a playoff at the very least.”
The Titans were currently fourth, six points off the Lions in third place but with a game in hand, and had the form batsman of domestic cricket in their ranks for Friday's game.
Not only did Theunis de Bruyn rack up 349 runs in the first half of the One Day Cup, but he goes into Friday's encounter with an unbeaten double-hundred and a 161 for South Africa A behind him.
Dean Elgar, David Wiese and Marchant de Lange have also been made available to the Titans from the South Africa A squad, while Reeza Hendricks will take his place in the Knights side.
Sarel Cilliers' Knights team have a lot of work to do if they are to make the playoffs, having won just one of their opening six games and sitting fifth on the ladder.
“There's still a little bit of scope, so hopefully we can turn this one around,” Cilliers said.
“We had a good T20 campaign and I believe we can take the positives from that into this competition.”
Batsman Tumelo Bodibe and all-rounder Duanne Olivier were missing for the Knights, while the Titans expected Albie Morkel back from injury some time next week. – Sapa