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Cape Town - Cape Cobras coach Ashwell Prince is pleased with the progress his side is making as they prepare for their next One-Day Cup outing against the Dolphins at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday.
The hosts have won three matches in a row to storm into the joint-lead of the competition.
Their two most recent wins were over co-leaders the Titans and the Highveld Lions at the weekend - the double over the Gauteng pair coming on the road and giving them a winning start to 2018.
Prince was very satisfied with the way they started the new year.
"It was a good weekend for us as we managed to get nine points, the one additional bonus point coming against a team that everyone thinks is invincible, the Titans," he said. "So, it was very satisfying.
"As I said to the players after the Titans game... that win will only feel sweet if we can back it up with a win against the Lions and we got it. So, it's been a good start to the year."
Key to their progress has been the form of their bowlers and, in particular, Dane Paterson, who has been one of the form bowlers in limited-overs cricket this season.
The Proteas fast bowler has taken eight wickets so far, while team-mates George Linde and Mthiwekhaya Nabe have managed 10 and nine wickets respectively.
"At the end of the day you can't get results if only one department is firing and the others aren't," Prince says. "But it is rather pleasing to see how the guys are bowling.
"Dane Paterson is an international-class bowler and that's why he's been selected for South Africa previously. And he's showing at the moment why he's one of the best bowlers in the country, supported well by Rory (Kleinveldt), George Linde, Nabe, they all bowling well as a unit. I hope it continues against the Dolphins."
The Durban side, one of the other form sides, are the only team to defeat the Cobras this season, but Prince believes they will be better prepared this time.
"We were unlucky against them in the last game when Rory was injured just before the toss and we had to make some last-minute changes," he concluded. "We'll be prepared this time, we're at home and look forward to a good result."
The Dolphins have won two out of their three matches this term and trail the leading pair by five points.
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Dolphins coach Grant Morgan is happy with the way things are shaping up.
"The amazing thing is we could have been in an even better position had we been on the right side of a one-run result," he added.
"But we're happy with where we at and we're definitely getting better all round.
"We've always had the potential and I feel we'll be ready to compete well against the Cobras."
