Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s ‘Orange Army’ rose from rock bottom to the top of the mountains, and they will be out to maintain their winning momentum as they set their sights on the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Friday (5.30pm start).
It could be the classic tale of two halves or it could just be champions resilience at its most effective.
But whatever it comes down to, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be enjoying their rise back to the top after a shaky start to the tournament.
Winless in the first three matches, the writing on the wall was increasingly becoming too bold to ignore, and the prized SA20 trophy seemed more likely to be destined to leave the shores of the Eastern Cape for the first time.
Three further matches have passed, and with three wins on the trot and three bonus points to add the cherry on top, the defending champions have sent a sound message to the rest of the competition about their intentions of not handing over their throne without a fight.
The Super Kings started the competition well, but they have been on the receiving end of two losses in a row, including a six-wicket loss at home against the Paarl Royals after they lost to MI Cape Town by seven wickets on Saturday, and they will want to set the record straight when they visit Gqeberha.
Marco Jansen (4/13) is the all-time leading wicket-taker in South Africa’s premier T20 competition with 40 scalps so far, and his effort with the ball played a key role in the 52-run win against the Pretoria Capitals, which propelled the two-time champions into the top three.
The 24-year-old Proteas star shared that his game is in a good space mentally and physically, and his team are enjoying their recent success without getting too carried away.
“We are trying to keep it level, because we lost our first three games – and now we have won three games on the bounce. We just try to stay as level as possible because we know any team can beat anyone on their day. Luckily for us, we managed to do it three times in a row,” Jansen said.
“It’s not the best I’ve felt rhythm-wise, but it’s the best I have felt confidence-wise.
“It feels like I know where the ball is going to go and what it’s going to do off the wicket, and that is a nice feeling to have. It’s just about trying to extend that for as long as possible.
“Stiffness is a real thing. It’s just about managing that, seeing the physio as much as possible and staying loose for as long as possible, but strength and fitness-wise I feel good, and hopefully I can keep it that way.”
Aiden Markram (200 runs) has been the in-form batter for the Sunrisers and he is amongst the tournament-leading run-scorers, and as the likes of Tristan Stubbs still search for their best form, he has been an integral part of their comeback.
“He is doing well (Stubbs)... I just think he is unlucky sometimes. I think he is in good touch, even if he doesn’t think so. He is one of those players that just needs one good knock and he will be back to his best,” Jansen continued.
The lanky fast bowler added that the team’s comeback is largely due to the camp they had with coach Adrian Birrell prior to the tournament.
“Before the tournament, we had a camp and he (Birrell) spoke about the team being like a fire. So, if we lose, the team loses its fire – so then every teammate and player has to refill the fire.
“(That means) we have to grab as many trenches as possible, and put energy and effort into the team just to try and get the fire going again.
“That is what we did well after those three losses, and I think now the fire is burning – and hopefully we can keep it like that.” | Independent Media Sport