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Petersen missed two Sunfoil Series games as well as the Lions’ one-day victory on Sunday because of a knee issue, but his full recovery has fortuitously coincided with the departure of Quinton de Kock for Proteas duty.
The Lions, therefore, have a worthy replacement at the top of the order, and will look to Eddie Leie to fill in for the departed Aaron Phangiso in the spin department.
Beating the Chevrolet Warriors in their opening fixture saw the Lions equal their win tally from last season’s one-day competition, which captain Stephen Cook admits was crucial.
“It was a massive boost for the guys, especially with it being a close game,” he said.
“Hopefully it can help create a culture of winning, which is all the more important given that we have three games in five days this week.”
The Dolphins have also lost two players to the national side, with Kyle Abbott and Imran Tahir having left for New Zealand on Monday.
Thandi Tshabalala, Prenelan Subrayen, Daryn Dupavillon and 21-year-old Rabian Engelbrecht have been called into the squad, with the final side to be chosen once conditions become clearer.
After a trying trip to India for the Champions League Twenty20 in which the Dolphins lost all four games, an epic run chase against the Titans has put them back on track.
“It was a tough learning school in India, so Friday’s win settled things back into perspective,” said captain Morné van Wyk, whose superb hundred led the run chase.
“Hopefully we’ll see the fruits from our experiences in India grow over time.”
