JOHANNESBURG - There has seldom been a conclusion to the domestic four-day competition quite like the one that lies ahead with, in theory, all six teams having a chance of claiming the Sunfoil Series title.
For the Warriors, who face the defending champions and current log-leaders the Titans in the Benoni, it might be a bit of a stretch. Sixteen points separate the two teams, but everyone else from the Lions in fifth – who are 11.4 points behind - and the Knights in second - just 2.42 points behind the Titans - will fancy staking a claim in what will be hectic few days of cricket.
The penultimate round, which concluded on Sunday featured three exciting finishes with the matches between the Titans and Dolphins and the Lions and Warriors shredding the nerves of those playing and watching. The Titans stumbled across the line, beating the Dolphins by two wickets in chasing a target of just 91.
“It was crazy,” exclaimed Lions coach Geoffrey Toyana after the Lions squeezed passed the Warriors by 14 runs.
“It was a race against the rain, Simon Harmer was playing out of his skin, the ball was wet, it was panic stations out there.”
The whole match had been affected by bad weather. Both teams needed a win and in that spirit of sportsmanship, Lions captain Stephen Cook approached his counterpart Harmer on Saturday about a declaration, with the Lions agreeing to set the Warriors something gettable in the final innings. With the rain threatening again on Sunday the initial plan of a chase of 300 in 100 overs was ripped up with Cook declaring at the start of the final day, setting the Warriors 258 to win.
“Both sides took up the challenge, we both needed the win. The Warriors deserve credit for approaching it in the right spirit.”
While the bowlers were superb again, especially left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin with a wet ball on the last day, Toyana was especially pleased by an improved batting performance which saw the Lions notch up four half centuries, with Rassie van der Dussen’s 82 in the first innings, a highlight.
“It’s the first time he’s batted in the middle order. Cooky was very positive in the first innings and so were Dom (Hendricks) and Temba (Bavuma), who played some delightful shots in the second dig.”
“We’ll make sure we’re in the right frame of mind for the match against the Knights.”
The Knights were spun out by the Cobras in Paarl on Saturday and if conditions allow, the Lions will want a dry surface at the ‘Bullring’ from Thursday.
Toyana hopes the team’s confidence will be carried over into the last round; where they will face a major test against the best new ball attack in the country in Marchant de Lange and Duanne Olivier. De Lange has claimed 28 wickets in the competition this season.