THE Cricket SA T20 Challenge is left with little over two weeks of round robin fixtures before the semi-finals get under way at the end of the month, but the play-offs have already taken firm shape.
The Warriors have been the dominant force in the competition so far as they sit comfortably at the top of the standings with eight victories in nine matches. The Lions, Dolphins and Western Province occupy the rest of the top four spots that guarantee a place in the semi-finals.
However, the Titans are still in with a chance to make the knockout stages as they sit fifth in the standings with five more rounds of fixtures remaining in the group stage.
Not many would have guessed that the Titans, who are also the defending champions, would find themselves having to fight for a place in the top four. A quick glance at their campaign so far tells the tale of how they find themselves in trouble.
Last week, they handed a bonus-point victory to the already- relegated Tuskers at their own stadium, SuperSport Park in Centurion. This is a Titans side, mind you, that has Proteas players Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi and Lizaad Williams in it.
In defence of the above trio, who are all bowlers, the Titans’ shortcomings have mostly been due to poor batting performances. And the 165 runs that they scored against the Tuskers at Centurion, a normally high-scoring ground, further highlighted the team’s weakness in the campaign.
Before they lost to the Tuskers, they faced the Warriors in Gqeberha and even there they were caught napping and reduced to 84-6 at one stage before Sibonelo Makhanya and Aaron Phangiso combined for a match-winning 74-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
In total, the Titans have won only four games in nine matches and will need to turn the ship around in their remaining matches to keep their hopes of a successful trophy defence alive.
Today, they take on the Dolphins at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban at 6pm.
The Dolphins bring momentum into the encounter having won away from home over the weekend, beating the North West Dragons at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom.
It is important to note that the Dolphins have lost their top run scorer, Bryce Parsons, due to injury.
However, the Titans have also lost the services of fast bowler Williams, who has signed a deal with the Delhi Capitals to play in the remainder of the Indian Premier League as a replacement for England international Harry Brook.
TITANS’ REMAINING FIXTURES
Today: v Dolphins (A); Friday: v Boland (H); Sunday: v KwaZulu-Natal Inland (H); Friday, April 19: v Lions (H); Sunday, April 21: v Western Province (A)