John Goliath
CAPE COBRAS captain Justin Ontong has called on his batsmen to fire in this weekend’s top-of-the-table Sunfoil Series clash against the Dolphins, which starts at Boland Park in Paarl this morning.
The Cobras batting let them down during last weekend’s match against the Lions when they were bowled out for 255 and 101. However, a top display by their wounded bowling unit won the game for the Cape side, who regained the top spot in the standings.
“We were a little lucky to come away with the victory against the Lions. It wasn’t good cricket from both sides, especially in the batting department,” Ontong told the Cape Times this week.
“There was a little bit in the wicket, but it wasn’t unplayable. I think the scores didn’t give a true reflection of how the wicket played. But in the end, I was quite happy to get away with the win.”
The Cobras boast a batting line-up of talented youngsters and grizzled veterans. But over the last few seasons they have been guilty of throwing their wickets away with loose shots while trying to up the run-rate and put pressure on the opposition. However, they have the ability to put pressure on even the best bowling attacks without having to take risks.
Batting well in the first innings in Paarl is going to be essential, especially because the wicket could break up a lot earlier than expected because of the heat that has baked the Cape over the last few weeks.
“We haven’t actually hit the ground running so far this season. There have been a couple of games, such as that big scoring game in Port Elizabeth (against the Warriors) when some of the guys came in and got big hundreds. Besides that, we haven’t been consistent enough as a batting unit,” Ontong said.
“So I’m looking for a big performance from us this weekend. If you want to win four-day games, it’s crucial that we put those big totals on the board. We are working hard at our game and it’s just a matter of sticking to our plans. That is the biggest thing, to get those big totals on the board.”
There is a school of thought that the Cobras are too reliant on Ontong and the outrageously-gifted Stiaan van Zyl to score the big runs.
Yaseen Vallie contributed a lovely 70 against the Lions, which would have done his confidence the world of good on his return to the side. But it seems that if Ontong and Van Zyl fire, then the Cobras generally make a big total.
A big score is what Ontong will be trying to chase this weekend on the ground where he made his name as a youngster. The Cobras captain is getting plenty of starts, but he hasn’t quite managed to cash in and make a big hundred this season. Ontong spent a lot of time in the nets this week, and seems eager to dig in his heels against the Dolphins.
“I definitely would like to kick on, because those are the differences in games. I have been getting in and getting a couple of 50s. But that’s not good enough, and I need to get those big hundreds which at the end of the day could make a big difference in the results,” Ontong said.
“I won’t say there is added pressure on me and Stiaan. The guys obviously know they have to take responsibility, but having said that, it’s also our job to go out and get those big hundreds.
“Along the line there is a bit of pressure, but that comes with the job because we are in the team to score runs.”
However, scoring runs against the Dolphins is not going to be easy. The Dolphins boast Kyle Abbott in their team, and the fast bowler would like to show the national selectors that he should actually be in the Proteas squad for the Test series against Australia.
“We are playing the Dolphins and I think it’s going to be tougher for us. We haven’t played in Paarl for a while, and with the heat around, you never know what you are going to get as far as the pitch is concerned,” Ontong said.
“The Dolphins are a team that have improved throughout the season, and winning the RamSlam has given them a lot of confidence and belief. They also have a couple of big-match players in their team as well. Kyle Abbott has been sensational in leading the attack, while David Miller brings that X-factor to their batting line-up.”