Cobras plan for life without Vilas

Cape Town - A possible medium-term replacement for Dane Vilas in the Cape Cobras squad is on the mind of coach Paul Adams as they prepare for a pre-season tour.

The Capetonians are off to Johannesburg, Pretoria and Oudtshoorn over the next four weeks.

They will play a three-day match against the Highveld Lions from September 19-21, two 50-over games against national club champs Tuks (September 23-24), as well as two practice games against the Warriors in Oudtshoorn (September 29-30).

“We want the bowlers to produce some spell and wish to define roles in the one-day matches. There will be a movement of players flying in and flying out, but we want to be as close to (final) combinations as possible,” Adams told the Cobras' official Facebook page.

The Cobras coach expects Vilas to be part of the South African Test squad for the tour of India and has made his contingency plans already.

“I don’t want to divulge my plans at this stage,” he added.

Vilas made his Test debut for South Africa against Bangladesh in the second Test at the end of July.

Stiaan van Zyl, long-serving number-three batsman of the Cape Cobras, is expected to be in the touring team of the Proteas to India at the end of September.

Adams said a player like Andrew Puttick could be in the frame as wicketkeeper in the one-day formats.

Wayne Parnell, who had a strained hamstring, is expected to be fit for the pre-season tour to Johannesburg, Pretoria and Oudtshoorn.