Tight battle on the cards in 4-Day Series final, says Lions captain Hendricks

If the rain stays away, Lions captain Dominic Hendricks believes the conditions at the Wanderers could make for a thrilling game of cricket as his team prepare to face the Titans in the final of the CSA 4-Day Series starting on Thursday.

The wet weather has caused havoc in Gauteng over the last few weeks, affecting matches and training sessions, but forecasts suggest it will clear up sufficiently to allow for a full game of cricket to be played.

“There’s a fair covering of grass on the wicket and I expect it to be a little on the slow side over the first couple of days, and then as the game goes on it should get slightly quicker,” Hendricks said yesterday.

“But I expect it to be sporting because it is the Wanderers, so there will be a bit in it for the bowlers, especially with the new ball for the first 30 or 40 overs, and then it should get a little bit easier to bat on.

“So, in general, if we don’t get any more rain then I think it will be a good wicket for cricket.”

Titans growing their squad

The Lions were the form team in the round robin phase of the first-class competition, finishing unbeaten at the top of the table to secure a home final (which will be contested over five days).

The Titans, meanwhile, lost two of their games, though captain Neil Brand remained confident they could put up a fight against their Gauteng rivals in the derby clash, as they looked to secure their first title of the season after losing to the Lions in the T20 Challenge final and being knocked out in the penultimate round of the One-Day Cup.

Brand, however, felt it was equally important to be looking ahead in terms of the development of the Titans squad, with the Centurion-based side having provided some opportunities to younger players during the round robin phase.

“For me it’s also about the growth of the younger players who are coming up in our squad… but obviously winning this trophy will be a cherry on top and we’ll be doing everything we can to win the trophy,” Brand said.

“We know the pressure that comes with playing for the Titans, so hopefully we can win at least one trophy this season.”