You would be forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu as the Warriors head into battle with the Titans in a major final for the second time this season.
With the sides having met in the final of the CSA T20 Challenge in December, they will now fight it out for the Momentum One-Day Cup at SuperSport Park in Centurion today.
Both sides have proven to be the best across both limited-overs formats this season – and it is perhaps fitting that they will close out the 2016-2017 season today.
“I am really proud with what the guys have achieved this season,” Warriors coach, Malibongwe Maketa said.
“We have made two massive finals and the hard work is clearly paying off.”
The Warriors will be gunning for a different result this time around after they were edged by the self-same Titans in the last over of their T20 final over three months ago.
The Warriors players will however need to come to the party and put their hands up.
“The last time we were out here we played well, but just missed out, but we are not thinking about revenge we just want to stick to our plans and hopefully come out with the correct result this time,” said Maketa. “But it has been a great team effort this season, it is what we are about. We are really focused on team performances and our big players have come right when we needed them.”
One of those players, is captain Jon Jon Smuts, who has been superb this season.
Smuts is currently the leading run- scorer on the one-day cup log, just ahead of the Titans’s Henry Davids. and this pair could play a big part in the outcome of the final for their respective teams.
Smuts also cleaned up the honours at the Warriors’ end-of-season awards on Tuesday evening, picking up five major awards on the night, and would love to end off a brilliant season with a major trophy.
“The guys are very excited, we are looking forward to the challenge, it is going to be a tough game but the guys are ready for it,” said Smuts.
“It is another opportunity for us to do something special and put our names on the trophy.
“It is awesome to feel recognised by your franchise and I know all the guys really enjoyed the evening, but we are all focused on the game all of us really want to win it.”
For the Titans, Protea players AB de Villiers and Chris Morris will also have a massive part to play in the match after starring in the Titans’ group stage win over the Warriors a few weeks ago.
The Warriors’ own Proteas man, Colin Ingram, signalled a return to form in the playoff win over the Knights earlier this week, when he scored 83 to help set up a defendable Warriors total, and subsequently received the man-of-the-match award.
“It is uncharacteristic of me to go through a period where I hadn't managed a good score in about four or five innings, so to put in a good performance in a big match was great and I was glad to contribute again,” said Ingram.
“I spent some good time out in the middle, I grew in confidence and I hope to take that into the final tomorrow and put in another top performance.
“The team has got through some tough moments to get here which puts us in great stead for the final and we are coming here a lot hungrier, the last time we were here we ended up losing, so I feel like the guys are ready to step up and take the trophy home.”
The match gets under way at 2pm this afternoon and will be live on SuperSport 2.
Now it’s payback time for Warriors
With the sides having met in the final of the CSA T20 Challenge in December, they will now fight it out for the Momentum One-Day Cup at SuperSport Park in Centurion today.
Both sides have proven to be the best across both limited-overs formats this season – and it is perhaps fitting that they will close out the 2016-2017 season today.
“I am really proud with what the guys have achieved this season,” Warriors coach, Malibongwe Maketa said.
“We have made two massive finals and the hard work is clearly paying off.”
The Warriors will be gunning for a different result this time around after they were edged by the self-same Titans in the last over of their T20 final over three months ago.
The Warriors players will however need to come to the party and put their hands up.
“The last time we were out here we played well, but just missed out, but we are not thinking about revenge we just want to stick to our plans and hopefully come out with the correct result this time,” said Maketa. “But it has been a great team effort this season, it is what we are about. We are really focused on team performances and our big players have come right when we needed them.”
One of those players, is captain Jon Jon Smuts, who has been superb this season.
Smuts is currently the leading run- scorer on the one-day cup log, just ahead of the Titans’s Henry Davids. and this pair could play a big part in the outcome of the final for their respective teams.
Smuts also cleaned up the honours at the Warriors’ end-of-season awards on Tuesday evening, picking up five major awards on the night, and would love to end off a brilliant season with a major trophy.
“The guys are very excited, we are looking forward to the challenge, it is going to be a tough game but the guys are ready for it,” said Smuts.
“It is another opportunity for us to do something special and put our names on the trophy.
“It is awesome to feel recognised by your franchise and I know all the guys really enjoyed the evening, but we are all focused on the game all of us really want to win it.”
For the Titans, Protea players AB de Villiers and Chris Morris will also have a massive part to play in the match after starring in the Titans’ group stage win over the Warriors a few weeks ago.
The Warriors’ own Proteas man, Colin Ingram, signalled a return to form in the playoff win over the Knights earlier this week, when he scored 83 to help set up a defendable Warriors total, and subsequently received the man-of-the-match award.
“It is uncharacteristic of me to go through a period where I hadn't managed a good score in about four or five innings, so to put in a good performance in a big match was great and I was glad to contribute again,” said Ingram.
“I spent some good time out in the middle, I grew in confidence and I hope to take that into the final tomorrow and put in another top performance.
“The team has got through some tough moments to get here which puts us in great stead for the final and we are coming here a lot hungrier, the last time we were here we ended up losing, so I feel like the guys are ready to step up and take the trophy home.”
The match gets under way at 2pm this afternoon and will be live on SuperSport 2.
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