South African domestic cricket’s focus shifts to red-ball cricket this week with the start of the 4-Day Series.
On Wednesday, the KZN Dolphins will host Western Province at Kingsmead in Durban.
WP, last season’s finalists, enter the tournament aiming to build on the momentum from their strong showing in the T20 Challenge, where they lost in the eliminator playoff.
“We’re looking forward to a great four-day campaign, starting with the Dolphins in Durban,” said WP head coach Salieg Nackerdien. “Some of our players currently with the national team will join us in the second game, but we’re confident that those selected for this opener are prepared to perform well. With a quick turnaround from the T20 to this campaign, we’ve ensured our preparations are solid.
“This season promises to be a fantastic and educational one, especially for our younger players stepping into larger roles while some seniors are away. They’ll have valuable opportunities to gain experience, and we’re all focused on reaching another final this season, which is a key objective for us. With our squad’s depth, we’re confident we can achieve this, fostering growth for the players as they adapt to the demands of four-day cricket.”
Meanwhile, the Dolphins will want to forget their recent T20 Challenge campaign, which saw them end bottom of the log.
“The shift to four-day cricket is all about mindset,” said head coach Quinton Friend. “We moved quickly past the T20 competition, and our focus now is fully on the upcoming series. We’ve had a few extra preparation days compared to some of our opponents, which has been beneficial.
“Our success in this competition over recent years speaks to the strength of our approach and preparation, and we’ve fine-tuned areas to ensure we start strong against Western Province on Wednesday.”
Division 1 4-Day Series fixtures:
30 Oct – 2 Nov: KZN Dolphins vs Western Province, Durban
31 Oct – 3 Nov: Boland vs Free State Knights, Paarl
31 Oct – 3 Nov: EP Warriors vs North West Dragons, Gqeberha
Photo: @DolphinsCricket/X
