CAPE TOWN – Cape Town Blitz head coach Ashwell Prince was pleased with his team’s overall performance in their two warm-up games against Paarl Rocks ahead of the start of the inaugural Mzansi Super League.
Despite Cape Town Blitz not getting positive results in both matches - losing by 7-wickets and 10-runs respectively - Prince was nonetheless happy with the standout individual performances of his young squad.
Marquee player Dawid Malan scored 85 in the opening match at Newlands while Janneman Malan (38), Jason Smith (50) and Kyle Verreynne (50) came good with the bat in the second encounter at Boland Park. Smith and Verreynne shared a 102-run fourth-wicket partnership, which bodes well for the young duo.
“Obviously people are going to say that we lost both games but from our point of view, the result of these two matches didn’t matter from the outset. It was more about the guys using the week to get into the right mindset for Friday,” Prince said.
“Dane Piedt bowled really well (in the second game), Anrich Nortje bowled well (in the first game), Dawid Malan batted really well (in the first game), and then Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne and Jason Smith got runs in the second game.
Ashwell Prince, head coach of Cape Town Blitz at a media briefing. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
“We now have more people getting closer to form before that first game (against the Tshwane Spartans at Newlands) and that’s what it is really about. We want to hit the tournament with most of the team close to their best. Obviously, there are still a few guys to come in but it’s shaping up nicely.
“They (the younger players) don’t have a lot of experience in this format of the game and there are still six guys to come into the squad. So for them, they have to try to stake a claim to get a place (in the starting XI) when everyone is here.
“These types of performances can only aid them in trying to get into the starting XI when everyone is here.”