Assistant coach Mandla Mashimbyi says the Titans are fully aware that they have yet to meet their usual standards this season, and he is hopeful things will change when they host the Cape Cobras in the 4-Day Franchise Series in Centurion on Monday.

Mark Boucher’s men have drawn both their matches thus far – the first against the Dolphins and the second with the Warriors. It has left them hovering in fourth place ahead of the big meeting with their Cape visitors at SuperSport Park.

‘Getting a win will be good for us,’ said Mashimbyi. ‘I think what’s important is to make sure we’re playing good cricket.

‘To be frank, and the players will tell you this as well, we haven’t been at the standard we know we can be at as a team. And those are the type of things we want to get right against the Cobras.’

The Cobras, on the other hand, have impressed thus far. Most of their batsmen, including rookies like Janneman Malan and David Bedingham, have been among the runs, which has given them a good platform to build on.

The Titans, though, are the champions, but Mashimbyi insisted what happened last season is irrelevant in 2018-19.

‘The preparations have been good,’ he added. ‘The guys seem to be well aware of what they need to do after the first two rounds of games.

‘It is a big one because we’re playing against the team that’s top of the table and the team that is on form after they won their first two matches of the campaign.

‘It’s going to be tough and we realise that. For us, I think it’s important to remember that we were the champions of last season and this is a new campaign altogether. The challenge now is a new one.’

Cobras coach Ashwell Prince is also looking ahead to the challenge between two of the country’s traditionally strongest franchises. The former Proteas batsman says he is delighted by the progress of his team thus far.

‘We’re really excited with the Cobras’ start to the season,’ said Prince. ‘We’ve got two wins from two, we’ve got a lot of young players and they’ve really responded well so far, positively and playing good cricket.

‘We’re happy to be where we are with the two wins but, obviously, it’s still very early days as far as the season is concerned.’

Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix