Title aspirations and IPL surprises

It’s a really important weekend in the SuperSport Series, with the Titans trailing the Cape Cobras by less than a point going into the final game of the competition. As a result, my focus is squarely on helping my franchise win what is an important domestic trophy.

It was incredibly disappointing last weekend in the Eastern Cape with our game against the Warriors washed out without a ball being bowled. We hung around for a couple of days, hoping to get some cricket. In that time I think I watched just about every movie to hit the circuit recently!

Unfortunately, the game was eventually called off on the Saturday morning and we flew home. The only good news last weekend was that the Knights managed to hold off the Cobras and draw their match. So, it’s all set up for this weekend.

As I said last week, I’m hoping to pick up where I left off with the Titans some time ago. I had some great form in the four-day competition before heading off to play for the Proteas one-day team against Sri Lanka. I just hope I can continue that form and help the Titans to a trophy.

This weekend it’s the Dolphins and we’re playing them at home at SuperSport Park. So, we’re hoping for a ‘result wicket’ to give us a chance of overhauling the Cobras, who are taking on the Lions. There’s also a bit of rain around, so it may well be a short game, but that’s sometimes a ‘good’ game as long as we’re on the right end of the result!

With the four-day competition out of the way next week, it’s straight into Twenty20 preparations with the Titans, who have the domestic version of that form of the game coming up. For me, though, it will be useful due to the fact that I leave late next week for New Zealand and the one-day series against the Black Caps. So, the sharpening of some limited overs skills will really be of help to me.

The national Twenty20 guys are actually off this week and a couple of us will join them next week. I was chuffed to see the whole squad given a clean bill of health by Doc Moosajee, as it’s important that we get off to a good start in New Zealand. Places like Australia and New Zealand can be difficult places to tour if you fall behind early and lose a few games. Just look at what’s happened with India in Australia and England in the UAE recently. So, I’m hoping that the Twenty20 guys can lay a good foundation for us and then we can pick things up.

It was interesting to see the latest IPL auction this week. I’m fortunate in that I’m only going into the second year of my three-year contract with the Chennai Super Kings, so not too much stress about being picked up by a franchise. I was really impressed to see my franchise sign Ravindra Jadeja, who I think is a great signing even though he cost over two million dollars! I think he’ll slot in nicely – he’s a spinner, bats in the middle order and is a good fielder. So, I think he’ll do well for us.

I was a little surprised to see some guys overlooked in the auction. My former Super Kings teammate Tim Southee is a case in point. I thought he did well for us with limited opportunities. I was also very surprised that Herschelle Gibbs only went for $50 000. I thought, after his good showing in the Australian Big Bash, that he would fetch a much bigger price. I was glad though that Robin Peterson got picked up by the Mumbai Indians after playing well for a couple of seasons.

I think Vernon Philander was a little unlucky and I thought that his test form may have made a few franchises sit up and take notice. But, it’s so competitive out there and he wasn’t the only one to lose out, with the likes of Lonwabo Tsotsobe also overlooked.

Lastly, some great news for young fast bowler Marchant de Lange – signed by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Less than a year ago he was playing for Easterns. Since then he’s made his test debut, claimed seven wickets in an innings in a test match and been picked up by an IPL franchise. Life is good for him right now and I expect big things from him in the future.

Next week I hope to have news of a Titans SuperSport Series title victory!