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Cape Town - With Rory Kleinveldt released from national duty, both the Cape Cobras and the Knights go into Thursday’s Sunfoil Series fixture at Newlands full of confidence in the ability of their bowling attacks.
While the Cobras are currently top of the Sunfoil Series table, it is the Knights who go into the game with their tails up after a 10-wicket victory over the Highveld Lions in their last game.
That win was set up by the bowlers, who dismissed the Lions for just 72 in their second innings as Corné Dry cemented his position in the Knights team by taking 5 for 27.
“Johan van der Wath is in form again, and so is Quinton (Friend), so they laid the platform for Corné to do his thing,” said Knights coach Sarel Cilliers.
“And I must say that from a captaincy point of view Johan did extremely well on that second evening, and then again the next morning to give Corné the ball at the right time.”
The Knights attack will be further bolstered by the return of Ryan McLaren from national duty, but the release of Kleinveldt will come as an equally big boost to the Cobras, who were forced to toil hard in a drawn game against the Warriors two weeks ago.
“I think it was a good learning curve for some of the youngsters,” said Cobras captain Justin Ontong. “The last couple of seasons we have been playing on wickets that were very responsive to seam bowling and I think it was much-needed for up-and-coming guys like Beuran Hendricks to learn how to bowl on flatter sorts of wickets.
“I was also very impressed with the way that our debutant Dane Paterson went.”
Both sides have lost one player to the Proteas, with batsman Dean Elgar missing from the Knights and spinner Robin Peterson unavailable for the Cobras.
Pite van Biljon has been drafted in as cover for Elgar, while Dane Piedt will come in for Peterson.
Head to head - Cape Cobras v Knights
Matches played - 16
Cobras win - 05
Knights win - 05
Drawn - 06
While the Cobras are currently top of the Sunfoil Series table, it is the Knights who go into the game with their tails up after a 10-wicket victory over the Highveld Lions in their last game.
That win was set up by the bowlers, who dismissed the Lions for just 72 in their second innings as Corné Dry cemented his position in the Knights team by taking 5 for 27.
“Johan van der Wath is in form again, and so is Quinton (Friend), so they laid the platform for Corné to do his thing,” said Knights coach Sarel Cilliers.
“And I must say that from a captaincy point of view Johan did extremely well on that second evening, and then again the next morning to give Corné the ball at the right time.”
The Knights attack will be further bolstered by the return of Ryan McLaren from national duty, but the release of Kleinveldt will come as an equally big boost to the Cobras, who were forced to toil hard in a drawn game against the Warriors two weeks ago.
“I think it was a good learning curve for some of the youngsters,” said Cobras captain Justin Ontong. “The last couple of seasons we have been playing on wickets that were very responsive to seam bowling and I think it was much-needed for up-and-coming guys like Beuran Hendricks to learn how to bowl on flatter sorts of wickets.
“I was also very impressed with the way that our debutant Dane Paterson went.”
Both sides have lost one player to the Proteas, with batsman Dean Elgar missing from the Knights and spinner Robin Peterson unavailable for the Cobras.
Pite van Biljon has been drafted in as cover for Elgar, while Dane Piedt will come in for Peterson.
Head to head - Cape Cobras v Knights
Matches played - 16
Cobras win - 05
Knights win - 05
Drawn - 06
