The Dafabet Warriors will look to channel the consistency that has defined their season when they open their Cricket SA One-Day Cup campaign against the defending champions, the Dolphins, at St George’s Park on Friday (1pm).
After contesting two domestic finals this summer – lifting the T20 trophy and finishing runners-up in the four-day showpiece – Warriors captain Senuran Muthusamy has called on his side to maintain the high standards that have carried them this far.
“It’s been a solid season for us, making two finals, winning one and losing one,” the all-rounder said. “We’ve played good, consistent cricket throughout and learnt quite a few lessons. It’s been a fantastic season of growth and development for a lot of the players.”
The disappointment of last week’s four-day final loss to the Lions, after dominating the first two days, has only sharpened the squad’s resolve.
Muthusamy admitted that two poor sessions ultimately cost them, underlining how fine the margins are at the top level.
“We played really good cricket for the first two days and let ourselves down in two sessions. The margins are small,” he said.
The competition will be tough – a lot of top players will be available, and every team will want to contest the final – so we’ll have to be at our best
— Senuran Muthusamy, Warriors captain
“For many of the guys it was their first four-day final, so it was a steep learning curve. There’s real determination in the camp to bounce back and finish the season on a high.”
The Warriors believe they are well equipped for the 50-overs format, having built a balanced squad with depth in batting, bowling and all-round options over the past few seasons.
“We’ve played good one-day cricket over the last few years, and we’re set up pretty well for the format,” Muthusamy said. “There’s a nice balance in the squad, and we cover a lot of bases.
“We’ve got an awesome group of players and a great staff behind the scenes who’ve done a fantastic job putting the pieces together and allowing the guys to perform at their best.”
A strong start will be a priority against a Dolphins side that lifted the trophy last season.
“Every tournament you want to start well and build early momentum,” Muthusamy added. “It’s a good challenge first up against the defending champions.
“The competition will be tough – a lot of top players will be available, and every team will want to contest the final – so we’ll have to be at our best.”
With one last domestic trophy up for grabs, the Warriors will be eager to feed off the support of their Eastern Cape faithful as they aim to turn a season of growth into further silverware.
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