While they enter the play-offs backed by form and experience, captain Tristan Stubbs says Sunrisers Eastern Cape need to reset as they gear up to face the Pretoria Capitals in their SA20 qualifier match in Durban on Wednesday (5.30pm start).
The Sunrisers finished top of the table after winning five of their 10 games in the league stage (two of their fixtures were rained out).
Stubbs, however, said they could not rely on their form and needed to be ready to hit their straps again in the closing stages of the tournament.
“It’s good to know we’ve played well throughout the season, but heading into the play-offs you start each game nought for nought,” Stubbs said.
“So it’s nice to have momentum going into the play-offs but it doesn’t mean much at all.”
The Sunrisers progressed to the knockout stages for the fourth year in succession, but in the same way that they could not bank on their form, the skipper insisted the two-time former champions needed to avoid complacency due to their experience.
“We’ve got a lot of the same guys who have played in these games before and they know what it takes to get it done, which definitely helps,” Stubbs said.
“But it’s still a game of cricket. You start again. You can have as much experience as you want, but if you don’t rock up on the day it doesn’t count for anything.”
Building on momentum
Capitals captain
was confident his team would be able to continue raising their game in the play-offs.
After struggling in the first half of the opening round, the Pretoria side won four of their last five matches, finishing second on the SA20 log, four points behind the Sunrisers.
“It’s been a topsy-turvy sort of season, but we found a bit of momentum when it mattered the most, and then we lost it and picked it up again,” Maharaj said.
“We’re still in search of playing a clinical game of cricket in all facets of the game, so hopefully that holds us in good stead and we can peak at the right time in this competition.”
The winning team on Wednesday will progress to the final, to be held in Cape Town on Sunday, and the losing side will face either the Paarl Royals or the Joburg Super Kings in another qualifier at the Wanderers on Friday.
