DP World Lions intent on holding onto the throne

The Four-Day Series defending champions, the DP World Lions, are still top standings and #ThePrideOfJozi are hungry to stay atop their throne when they complete their round-robin programme against the Knights in Bloemfontein from Thursday.

Finishing first will allow Russell Domingo's team to once again host the final at the iconic DP World Wanderers Stadium. At the moment, they enjoy a 16.04-point lead over the Momentum Multiply Titans in second place. The Hollywoodbets Dolphins are in third place, 18.74 points behind on 91.40, while WSB Western Province (88.84) and Goldrush Boland (85.96) are also still in the running for a place in the showpiece red-ball match.

The game is also vital for the Free Staters, who are currently sixth on 75.76 points and needing to climb to fourth to avoid relegation from Division I. They will need to somehow defeat the Lions and hope that other results go their way.

But the Lions are determined to come away from Bloemfontein with a big haul of points, their last two matches having been draws that have not gone past the first innings due to inclement weather.

"It's been tricky for us the last couple of weeks playing just the first innings but getting a good number of bonus points has helped us, as has other teams not getting wins," Domingo says.

"Obviously it's a very big game in Bloemfontein, the Knights have to win to stay up and again there may be some issues with the weather. I'm sure Free State will be preparing a result pitch because they have to finish in the top four to move up. I'm surprised they're in this position because I thought they'd been doing okay."

The good news for #ThePrideOfJozi is that they have managed to separate themselves a bit from the throng of teams lying between second place and fifth place, so a full house of four bowling bonus points and a few batting points in a draw should be enough to keep them clear of the Titans and Dolphins even if they beat Boland and the Dafabet Warriors respectively.

While the Lions did get four bowling points last weekend against the Dolphins by bowling them out inside 87 overs in Johannesburg, Codi Yusuf taking 4/54, Domingo was not happy with the scattergun performance of the attack.

"We bowled really poorly, it was only Codi Yusuf who didn't leak runs and he was superb. Otherwise it was very inconsistent and ill-disciplined and I was very disappointed with the bowling.

"But I am sure we will do better in Bloemfontein, we have had a tough discussion and I am looking for a response. It's the bowlers who win you tournaments and they potentially have two matches left now to really make their mark. We obviously missed Bjorn Fortuin and it will be good to have our lead spinner back this week," Domingo says.

Having dismissed the Dolphins for 357, the Lions then had 61 overs on the final day to collect as many batting points as they could and opening batter Josh Richards throve, batting with great resolve to score 130 not out and lead his team to 250/2 and three batting points.

It had been a tough campaign for Richards, with just 184 runs in eight innings and Domingo said he was delighted the highly professional workaholic has finally received some reward for his efforts.

"Josh scored a hundred late last season against the Titans that got us into the final and it was great to see him doing it again. He's been playing well, has been getting a lot of starts, so I am really pleased for him to now get a century. He's a quality player and he's been training hard," Domingo says.

Zubayr Hamza also continues to prosper this season and he scored 62 not out against the Dolphins to take his average in this season's four-day competition to 53.12.

Another Lions favourite who has enjoyed a wonderful season is Temba Bavuma, who averages 72 in Test cricket this summer, having struck two centuries and three fifties in seven innings. The great news for #ThePrideOfJozi is that the Proteas captain and tremendous batsman will be available for the clash with the Knights.

There is everything to play for at both ends of the Division 1 Four-Day Series table when the action gets underway across the country on Thursday.

Even though the Lions comfortably lead the eight team standings and appear to have one foot in the final, they too will be feeling some nerves as they enter round seven.

Should the Lions draw, the Titans and Dolphins could leapfrog them by winning and earning enough bonus points.

The Centurion-based outfit welcome Boland to SuperSport Park, whilst the Dolphins, recently crowned One-Day Cup champions, travel to Gqeberha to play Dafabet Warriors.

If the Lions lose on their trip to Free State then even fourth-placed WP, who are away at Renault North West Dragons in Potchefstroom and Boland in fifth will be in the mix should they manage substantial wins.

Only the top two teams after the regular season will qualify for the 10-14 April final that will be hosted by the regular season winner.

Tshepang Dithole and Romashan Pillay shone with the bat for the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in their recent draw against the DP World Lions in the CSA Four-Day Domestic Series. Cricket South Africa

Dolphins head coach Quinton Friend still feels there was plenty for him and his team to take from their draw in Johannesburg.

"For Tshepang Dithole to score 157 in those conditions was remarkable and the batters really had to tough out some tough periods," Friend said. "Romashan Pillay showed his skills in a tough spell against some good bowling from the Lions.

"From a batting perspective I think we can take a lot from the game at the Wanderers."

"The team is still in very high spirits and we know what needs to be done when we play the Warriors this week. It's important that we continue to stick to our processes and remember the ways in which we want to go about playing.

"We've got to try and win the game and it's as simple as that, the team is highly motivated to do that this week."

Despite being third, the Dolphins will be keeping an eye on the other matches around the country. Friend believes that they will have to try and avoid that outside distraction as much as they can.

"It's important for our players to stay focused on the job at hand and that's to go ball-by-ball, day-by-day during the course of these four days.

"We will have to give our absolute everything to try and get over the line in this game and we are going to need another huge team effort," Friend added.

The Warriors are currently bottom of the Four-Day Series table; however Friend knows that they are a far better side than their log position suggests.

"You cannot take any team lightly in this competition especially the Warriors. We are coming up against a really tough team and it's going to be important for us to put in four days of good cricket.

"If we do that and stick to our strengths then we should be able to out on top.

"It's crucial that we are prepared to do the hard yards in this game to give ourselves the best opportunity to qualify for the final."

Hollywoodbets Dolphins Travelling Squad

Okuhle Cele, Hanu Viljoen, Prenelan Subrayen, Eathan Bosch, Daryn Dupavillon, SJ Erwee, Bryce Parsons, Romashan Pillay, Tshepang Dithole, Jason Smith, Tristan Luus, Khaya Zondo, Banele Cele.

Meanwhile, the battle at the bottom of the table is a tense one with the Knights and Warriors seemingly in the biggest danger of relegation to Division 2.

The Free Staters need to gain two log positions and finish at least fourth in the table to avoid relegation. To do this, their only option is to beat the log-leading Lions. However, this too may be out of their hands if two of the Titans, Dolphins, Western Province and Boland win their games.

JP Triegaardt’s charges could finish ahead of any of those teams with a substantial bonus-point triumph and defeats or low bonus-point draws trio.

If the Knights do manage to get to fourth spot then the Warriors are the team that would be relegated. The Eastern Cape outfit must win with substantial bonus points and hope the Dragons lose with few bonus points to get ahead of them.

Should this scenario play out, then the Warriors and Dragons will finish on eighth promotion/relegation points, with the former placed higher due to better position on the first-class table.

There is one other unlikely scenario where Western Province could still be relegated – if they fall to seventh with a heavy defeat and heavy swing of results in favour of their rivals.

The race for individual honours is also set to go down to the wire with the top-four run-scorers - Lesego Senokwane (559), Jordan Hermann (524), George Linde (521) and G Roelofsen (516) - separated by just 43 runs.

Amongst the bowlers, Shaun von Berg (34) is marginally ahead of fellow spinner Prenelan Subrayen (32), with seamer Beyers Swanepoel (29) third.