Titans bowlers will be under the microscope against the Cobras

Panicking and chopping and changing after one setback are not how successful businesses or sports franchises operate, which is why the Titans will take an unchanged squad into their CSA 4-Day Domestic Series match against the Cape Cobras at Centurion from Monday, despite their poor performance in losing to the Warriors last week.

The Titans are still top of their group with a lead of more than 17 points over the Warriors, who beat them by three wickets last week at SuperSport Park.

While Aiden Markram was sheer perfection with the bat, scoring a century in each innings, he lacked support from the rest of the batsmen, so that is something the Titans will need to rectify. But it is the bowling that was especially untidy against the Warriors, and the likes of Lizaad Williams and Okuhle Cele need to rediscover the intensity and accuracy they had when the Titans won their first two matches.

The Cape Cobras are the only winless team in the competition, so they have problems of their own.

The Imperial Lions have gradually been building their way back into top form in the defence of their title and they snatched a remarkable come-from-behind win over the high-riding Knights at the Wanderers last week. So Wandile Gwavu’s charges will be eager to dominate from the start of the game this time as they travel to Port Elizabeth to take on the Warriors, who are steadily improving as well after the start of their season was severely disrupted by Covid-19.

What will be particularly pleasing for coach Gwavu is the way his stand-ins for the Proteas performed in the last game and the Lions are certainly cultivating some impressive depth.

The fourth round’s other game sees the Dolphins hosting the Knights and trying to mount a serious challenge for top spot in Pool B. They are currently trailing the Knights by more than 15-and-a-half points.

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