Lions and Titans seek redemption
A Lions, Titans derby hardly needs spicing up, but the chance of redemption for both on Sunday will make it a tastier affair.
|||Johannesburg – A derby between the bizhub Highveld Lions and the Titans rarely needs spicing up, but the opportunity for redemption – for both sides – at the Wanderers on Sunday will make for an even tastier affair.
Both are coming off Momentum One Day Cup defeats on Friday night; the Lions were swept aside by four wickets by the Dolphins at Kingsmead, while the Titans lost by 19 runs against the Cape Cobras at Newlands.
For the defending champions, the Titans, there is a distinct sense of déjà vu as they once again start the competition slowly. That was the one thing they wanted to avoid, though now that they find themselves in this hole, at least they will know they can get themselves out of it – they have history on their side in that regard.
What will infuriate captain Albie Morkel, however, is another high number in the extras column at Newlands – 21, of which 11 were wides. The Titans have bowled 28 wides in their opening two matches, 18 of those having come from two players – Rowan Richards and Junior Dala.
Having to bowl the extra deliveries has already proved costly on the tournament’s log for the Titans when they were docked a point in the first match for a slow over-rate. The lack of discipline requires an attitude adjustment according to Morkel and if his side are going to attain his goal of winning three matches in these opening four weeks of the competition, then they will have to show a better attitude at the Wanderers today.
Their opponents, the Lions, saw their batting fall apart at Kingsmead as they slumped to 63/5 against the Dolphins inside 25 overs. Were it not for Alviro Petersen’s second consecutive century in this season’s competition, they would have got nowhere near the 221/6 with which they ended. Petersen made an unbeaten 108 off 117 balls hitting five fours and four sixes, but found no assistance from the other senior batsmen and had to rely on a sixth-wicket stand of 83 with Dwaine Pretorius (31) and seventh-wicket partnership of 75 with Hardus Viljoen (20*) to help the Lions achieve respectability.
Though the bowlers scrapped hard in defence of that below par total, they were put under pressure early thanks to a bruising opening stand of 67 between Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Cameron Delport, before Cody Chetty guided the hosts to victory with an unbeaten 86 (100b, 6x4, 2x6).
The Lions will be desperate to bounce back quickly today. Their strong top order needs to rekindle the focus and intensity shown in their opener against the Cobras a week ago, while the bowling needs better penetration up front.
A win for the Lions will increase the pressure on the defending champions, who need to iron out several errors that have proved costly this season.
Today’s other match sees the Cobras host the Knights – who picked up their first win of the competition against the Warriors on Friday – at Boland Park in Paarl.