The Momentum Multiply Titans welcome back former South African captain Faf du Plessis for their Momentum One-day Cup clash with the Warriors on Friday, as he looks to keep in form ahead of the tour of India.
Rested for the third one-day international against Australia, Du Plessis will bring a weight of experience and class.
Around him, he will also have another Protea making his way back into the national frame in Aiden Markram. He has got back from an extended injury layoff, and started showing signs of his quality.
‘Naturally it’s been really nice to make a bit of an impact, but two losses aren’t ideal and they hurt,” Markram said of the Titans fortunes.
“It’s honestly very nice to be back on the field. It’s been pretty much four tough months with back to back injuries, so being back on the field is the best part of it all.”
A hand injury in India was followed up by a finger injury in the Boxing Day Test against England, so he has spent plenty of time watching instead of playing.
Now, with a century since his return, Markram is looking forward to meeting the tenacious Warriors.
“It’s always been a really good game between us and the Warriors. I think back three or four years, we’ve played them in numerous finals and they are a team that play well in the Highveld,” he warned. “But we also enjoy playing in our home conditions in Benoni and Centurion. It’s going to be a good game and with the team in the position we’re in we’re looking forward to it because we are trying to get things right and get back on a winning note.”
His century in Kimberley against the Knights was a massive boost personally, and Markram now wants to kick on.
“It was nice to do well in Kimberly, but the team didn’t get the result. So my performance didn’t count for much,” the team man lamented.
“I would’ve loved for it to be a bigger hundred and one that could put the team in a position where we couldn’t lose. I was slightly disappointed with getting out, because my role is to go a lot deeper.”
Against the visiting Warriors, he will have the opportunity to do just that, as the Titans look to stop a run of defeats.
“I think the defeats got a bit of fire in the belly in the team and the guys are that extra bit excited and motivated to do well and get back on winning terms.”
MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS (FROM): Grant Thomson (Capt), Farhaan Behardien, Corbin Bosch, Junior Dala, Theunis de Bruyn, Tony de Zorzi, Francois du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Imraan Manack, Aiden Markram, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Alfred Mothoa, Diego Rosier.
