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Cape Town - Titans coach Mark Boucher admits that his side may not have played “good cricket” throughout the Sunfoil Series season, but feels that their ability to scrap for points ultimately helped land them the four-day title.
The Centurion-based franchise won the first-class title for the second time in three seasons when they ousted the Knights in the decisive final round this past weekend.
They went into the final round of games in fourth place and as one of the teams with the slimmest of chances of claiming the prized crown, but in the end finished with their fifth outright title of the franchise era.
“We didn’t play good cricket throughout the competition, at times we played really well, but there were times we scrapped it out for a hard draw to get a few points that kept us ticking along in the competition,” Boucher said.
“I mean it’s 40 days of cricket plus-minus and you’re not going to rock up every day for 40 days.
“There’s going to be days when you go out there, not be at your best but fight for a few points here and there and that’s exactly what we did towards the back end of the competition.
“That ultimately was what kept us in the mix and gave us a chance to win it.”
Rain severely hit the last weekend of games, which denied the Warriors, who lead the standings heading into round 10, a real chance of a result against the Dolphins in Durban.
Their match lasted less than two days and finished in a tame draw, while the Cape Cobras, second ahead of the last round, lost to the Highveld Lions as they went in search of a result in what was effectively a three-day affair in Potchefstroom.
The Titans-Knights contest at SuperSport Park only had two days for a result. The two sides, also in contention for the title, came to an agreement to bat 40 overs each in their first innings, before having a full tilt in their second innings.
“I think firstly we were fortunate to have had a home game to finish and then secondly to have played against a side that was also in contention helped,” Boucher explained.
“A draw wouldn’t have mattered to them just like it wouldn’t have mattered to us, so we needed two teams to try and make a result out of the whole game and we were very fortunate in that way.
“What happened in Durban we couldn’t control and the game in Potch seemed like a good game as well. I thought the Lions did really well to beat the Cobras.”
Boucher, whose side also won the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge title this season, believes a loss to the Warriors at the start of the month was what spurred them on to win the Sunfoil Series.
“I think that game we lost to the Warriors was a blessing in disguise because we had a complete turnaround in character in the dressing room,” he added. “I think it showed in the last two games we played when we were really positive.
“Even though the last game was just two days, it turned out to be a good game of cricket and one that both sides could have won. Had they managed to only concede a 50-run deficit as opposed to 100 runs in the first innings, we may have been looking at a different story.
“A couple of things went out way and I’m very happy with the attitude change and immensely proud to have won this title.”
