Sunfoil Dolphins skipper out for the week

The Sunfoil Dolphins have their eye on another successful week of Momentum One Day Cup action as they prepare to take on The Unlimited Titans at SuperSport Park on Wednesday before returning to Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Friday for their second home clash of the season against the Cape Cobras.

Two wins from their first three matches and a superior net run rate sees the Dolphins topping the 50 over competition’s log on nine points with Cobras and the Warriors hot on their heels on nine and eight points respectively, a position head coach Lance Klusener would love to maintain.

“(Staying at the top of the log) makes those last five games (in February) a lot easier,” explained Klusener. 

“The last five games are also so far away that you don’t quite know what you’re going to get or who is going to be available so whilst we’re playing decent cricket it’s important that we keep going.”

“It would be nice to win both games this week but even one win from our next two games will put us in a half decent position before the break.

“If we can win two then it allows us to challenge for a home final though and that’s what we want to do!” he added definitively.

With the importance of their upcoming assignments, Klusener has opted to retain much of the squad who overcame the bizhub Highveld Lions at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead last Friday.

Regular captain Morné van Wyk has failed to recover from a wrist injury sustained while batting in the nets ahead of the season’s start and will miss both this week’s matches while Calvin Savage replaces Kyle Nipper in the only change to the squad.

“I don’t expect us to change too much from Friday night,” said Klusener. 

“Morné (van Wyk) is still injured and I think it is important that we get him 100% before the RAM Slam T20 competition.”

“Morné has this week’s two games (off) and then he has a week after that so it gives him two weeks to recover before the RAM Slam T20 starts.

“We want to give Nips (Kyle Nipper) some game time; (KZN) Inland have got a game this weekend so he’ll play there.

“Calvin gives us a little bit of both batting and bowling cover, he comes off a good game (for KwaZulu-Natal) and is someone that we think will add value to the Dolphins in the future so is someone we want to keep close to the squad.”

While Klusener seeks to address the number of boundary balls his side continues to bowl, the Dolphins’ bowling unit has contributed greatly to the team’s success thus far with left arm orthodox Keshav Maharaj hoping to add some middle overs scalps to the team’s bowling efforts this week.

“A lot of the success I’ve had in the middle period is a result of the seamers’ bowling well upfront,” said Maharaj.

“They’ve taken wickets upfront which has allowed me to feel my way into the game. 

“Going forward it would be nice if I could return the favour to them by doing the job in the middle so it becomes easier for them towards the end.”

Cody Chetty’s 86 off 100 balls against the Lions played a major role in the Sunfoil Dolphins securing a win and the young talent hopes to continue his good form in the near future while expecting two tough clashes this week.

“The last two weeks I wasn’t feeling too good and then I spoke to coach (Klusener) last week and cleared a few things up,” explained Chetty.

“I felt good in PE but unfortunately I threw it away with a bad shot but I came right on Friday night which I was happy with and hopefully I can continue the form going into the next two games.”

“All games of the competition are very important and they’re both coming off a win, just like us, so both teams’ confidence will be high!”

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