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The Knights, who beat the more-fancied Nashua Titans by eight wickets by the Duckworth/Lewis method in the MTN40 final in December, open their Pro20 campaign on Wednesday with a match against the Nashua Dolphins in Bloemfontein.
Cilliers said that the lessons his team had learned during the MTN40 would stand them in good stead ahead of the Pro20.
“We had some tough games at the start of the MTN40, but as the competition went on we got our game plan right and adapted to our strengths,” Cilliers told SuperCricket.
“Pro20 is obviously a different game, but we gained confidence with the white ball during the MTN40, and hopefully it will give us some momentum,” he added.
The central franchise’s hopes of annexing the Pro20 title for the third time will be hampered a touch by the unavailability of inspirational captain and devastating batsman Morne van Wyk, who is on World Cup duty with the Proteas.
But Cilliers said that he felt his squad was good enough to rise above Van Wyk’s absence.
“Morne is a match-winner, and he scored some important runs towards the end of the MTN40 and he is a loss for us.
“But we have the likes of Rilee Rossouw and Reeza Hendricks, who scored more runs than Morne during the MTN40, and an experienced, solid bowling attack, so we will be expecting everyone to make a contribution to fill the gap caused by Morne’s absence,” Cilliers explained.
All-rounder Ryan McLaren will lead the side in Van Wyk’s absence, and Cilliers is pleased with the way that McLaren has adapted to his new role.
“Ryan is very important to us, especially considering that Morne will not be available. Ryan is a natural leader and cricketer, so it has been easy to slot him into the captaincy.”
The Knights have one of the most well-balanced squads in the competition, with an exciting blend of youth and experience.
Rossouw, Hendricks and Dean Elgar are three of the most talented young batsmen in South Africa, while the formidable bowling attack comprises seasoned veterans like Ryan McLaren, Johan van der Wath, Victor Mpitsang and Dillon du Preez.
McLaren and the big-hitting Van der Wath are also more than capable batsmen.
“It’s always important to have a mix of young and experienced players. The young guys play with freedom and without fear, which is especially important in Pro20 cricket, while the more experienced guys bring some sense and sensibility when it is needed,” said Cilliers.
The first three matches in this season’s Pro20 have all produced last-ball finishes, and Cilliers believes that the results show just how tough it will be to try and win the tournament.
“All the sides have decent set-ups and they are playing good cricket. It would be nice to have a couple of easy games, but the results so far have shown that no team is ever out of the game,” he concluded.
Knights squad against Dolphins: Dean Elgar, Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Bailey, Aubrey Swanepoel, Rilee Rossouw, Adrian McLaren, Ryan McLaren (capt), Obus Pienaar, Johan van der Wath, Jandre Coetzee, Victor Mpitsang, Dillon du Preez, Thandi Tshabalala, Shadley van Schalkwyk.
