Paul Adams will focus on finding a medium-term replacement for Dane Vilas and finalising one-day roles when the Cape Cobras embark on a pre-season tour to Johannesburg, Pretoria and Oudtshoorn over the next four weeks.
The Cobras and the Highveld Lions will play in a three-day match from 19 September. The Cobras and Tuks, the national club champions, will clash in two 50-over games on 23 and 24 September.
The Warriors, the Eastern Cape-based franchise, and the Cobras are destined to have two practice games in Oudtshoorn on 29 and 30 September.
‘We want the bowlers to produce some spells and wish to define roles in the one-day matches. There will be a movement of players flying in and flying out, but we want to be as close to [final] combinations as possible,’ Adams said.
He expects Vilas to be part of the South African Test squad for the tour of India and has made his contingency plans already. ‘I don’t want to divulge my plans at this stage,’ he added.
Vilas made his Test debut for South Africa against Bangladesh in the second test at the end of July 2015. Stiaan van Zyl, long-serving number-three batsman of the Cape Cobras, is expected to be in the touring team of the Proteas to India at the end of September.
Adams said a player like Andrew Puttick could be in the frame as wicketkeeper in the one-day formats.
Wayne Parnell, who had a strained hamstring, is expected to be fit for the preseason tour to Johannesburg, Pretoria and Oudtshoorn.
