After coach Tumelo Bodibe received the sought-after CSA Level 4 Accreditation, the highest cricket coaching qualification in SA earlier this week, the Eastern Cape Iinyathi will be hoping for more good news on the pitch.
Wins have been like a ghost in a graveyard for the Buffaloes — unseen.
They are yet to taste victory since the start of the season in September, with the stats showing six defeats in the CSA provincial T20 and two in the four-day matches.
Two weeks back, they slumped to an eight-wicket defeat to the Northern Cape Heat in Kimberley with two sessions and a day of play left in their CSA four-day game.
After a week’s break, they will go in search of their first win of the season against the Mpumalanga Rhinos at Uplands College in White River.
In the past two seasons, the Iinyathi have no doubt made the Rhinos their bunnies.
They will not only be eyeing their first win of the season, but their third against the Rhinos since 2021.
In 2021, the Border side enjoyed a convincing victory of 484 runs and in 2023 won by eight wickets, while the other match ended in a draw.
Bodibe will be hoping his charges tap into the winning mentality of previous seasons and get the win that could open doors for more.
The Uplands pitch is known to be batting-friendly and might be exactly what his top order needs.
Only Mcedisi Malika and Nathan Roux are in the top 25 in terms of batters’ averages and even they are at the bottom, which underlines the team’s struggles in terms of their top and middle orders.
When the Iinyathi set a solid platform for the middle order, they manage to win 50% of their games and Bodibe will be hoping for that throughout the four days.
With the ball, he will hope spinner Jade de Klerk, Nico van Zyl and Chad Klassen continue their good form.
The CSA Awards nominee for 2023 Division 2 four-day player of the season, De Klerk picked up a 10-wicket haul in their opening game against the Badgers.
Klassen and Van Zyl are among the top wicket-takers with seven and eight respectively.
In their only game in the four-dayers this season, the Rhinos went toe-to-toe with the Heat to claim a draw.
Bodibe has roped Hudson Park youngster Osphesona Mbekwa into the travelling team for Mpumalanga.
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