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Davids eyeing good start

Johannesburg - Titans captain Henry Davids says his side is eager to get off to a good start in their opening fixture of the domestic one-day cup competition against the Dolphins at SuperSport Park, in Centurion, on Friday.

The Titans were joint-winners with the Cobras in the competition last season, after the final was rained out and both teams were forced to share the spoils.

"Over the last few years we've been a very good shorter format team," said Davids.

"We're going into the competition quietly confident. Our aim is to win trophies."

The Titans come off a win last weekend in the final session of their four-day match against the Warriors, while the Dolphins were winless from four games in the Champions League T20 competition in India.

"The Dolphins played a higher level of cricket in the Champions League, while we were mostly focused on four-day cricket," Davids said.

"But any type of win gives you confidence, especially in our last game where we toiled hard for four days, right until the end. The main thing is the guys showed guts, and that will help in one-day cricket."

While David Wiese and Marchant de Lange were recovering from niggles, the rest of the squad would be pushing for places in the starting XI according to Davids.

"Everyone is batting well. The guys are also bowling well and there's nice rhythm and confidence with the bowlers.

"There really is a lot of young talent in Titans cricket. It's going to be difficult getting 11 on the field, to be honest."

On Saturday, the Cobras travel to Kimberley to take on the Knights.

The Cobras were also involved in the T20 Champions League and could manage just one win in four outings. The Knights come into the match off the back of a big win against the Lions in the domestic four-day competition.

Regular Cobras captain Justin Ontong is battling with a back problem. Justin Kemp is also out for a few weeks with a broken hand, as is Dane Piedt with a shoulder injury while Rory Kleinveldt is struggling with a niggle.

Robin Peterson, however, said his side would be competitive regardless of who makes the team on the day.

"Our team is in a little bit of a transition phase," said Peterson.

"A lot of our senior players are heading towards the end [of their careers] and a lot of young players are pushing for places. It's going to be a challenge this year.

"Going into the first couple of games, there's also an injury cloud over our big players so that's a bit of concern, but we have great depth in Cape Town."

On Sunday, the Lions entertain the Warriors as both sides come off losses in the four-day competition last weekend.

Lions captain Stephen Cook said he expected a fiercely competitive match against the Warriors.

"Potch is a great place to play one-day cricket. It's a quick outfield and a good wicket," he said.

"The first game of the competition is always interesting. Guys these days are coming flat-out in the first game. The Warriors are a good side and we're expecting a tough game."

The Lions had the unenviable record of finishing bottom of the log across all three formats last season, and despite defeat on the last day of the match at the same venue last weekend, the intent of the Highveld side was positive according to Cook.

"It's vital to get off to a good start. Even though we lost on the weekend in Potch, the attitude the guys took, and the fact that we went out there to win the game and were aggressive, was vital. That mindset is important."

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