Toyana challenges Hendricks to scale batting heights reached by disgraced predecessor Petersen

23 February 2017 - 17:49 By Khanyiso Tshwaku
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Highveld Lions coach Geoffrey Toyana has challenged Reeza Hendricks to be consistent and scale the batting heights his disgraced predecessor Alviro Petersen did last season.

Before he decided to dabble in an illicit match-fixing trade‚ Petersen reeled off five consecutive hundreds and it was on the back of those runs that Toyana's side claimed their only piece of silverware last season.

Hendricks's 87-ball ton was the foundation on which the Lions built their 44-run win against the Warriors on Sunday.

He will be expected to deliver in Friday's clash with the Dolphins at Kingsmead.

“Us winning this competition last year was down to the runs Alviro scored and the consecutive hundreds he put together‚" Toyana said.

"With the start that Reeza has had‚ it's key that he just keeps on going.

"I know it will be tougher as we go along because we'll be losing Temba Bavuma and Stephen Cook to the national team.

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"We're going to have a young batting group so I expect the likes of Reeza and Rassie van der Dussen to take charge.

“Our vice-captain Dom Hendricks is to come in for Temba and I'm still thinking of an option for Cook.

"But we do have options in Devon Conway and Andre Malan who are in Potchefstroom and Wihan Lubbe whom we've given a contract.

"There's also Marques Ackermann who is also exciting me.”

Wednesday's Warriors v Cape Cobras game in East London again provided proof how benign end of season pitches have been.

All teams that have batted first have totalled more than 300 even though Kingsmead tends to behave differently than most South African grounds.

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Chasing in Durban has become easier in internationals but it's often been a different story for domestic limited overs matches.

Toyana doesn't see anything wrong with 300-plus totals.

“That's how the competition goes these days because I do believe if you're scoring 260-280‚ that's gettable.

"If you want to put pressure on the opposition‚ you must get 300-plus because anything less than that means you've given away a manageable run chase.

"It's all about putting pressure on the opposition‚” Toyana said.

  - TMG Digital

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