Lions captain Dominic Hendricks believes their local knowledge of the “Bullring” will give them a distinct edge in the CSA Four-Day Series final against the Warriors, which starts at the Wanderers on Wednesday.
The Lions have hosted the last two first-class finals in Johannesburg, having beaten Western Province and dominated last season’s final against the Titans before Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ second-innings century saved a draw for their neighbours from across the Jukskei River.
“I can’t really give away the secret, but we do know how to play at the Wanderers,” Hendricks said. “I think that’s been the key to our success. We’ve found a way to take 20 wickets regularly and that’s our recipe — finding a way to take 20 wickets while scoring lots of runs.”
Hendricks emphasised the importance of setting the tone early in the match, a strategy that has served the Lions well throughout the current campaign. He believes the big thing is batting big in the first innings, noting that his batters have done that particularly well for the vast majority of the season at home.
For the Lions, it is about executing their skills as best as they can and trying to maximise their own conditions. The skipper also believes the Lions’ strength lies in their depth, rather than a reliance on star power. He pointed out that it has not just been one player doing everything this season, but a collective effort from the group where everybody has chipped in at some point.
According to Hendricks, that is exactly why they are sitting in this final, because they haven’t been heavily reliant on one particular person.
Johannesburg has been beset by rain recently, but Hendricks remains unfazed by the weather, especially given a key change to the tournament rules. Unlike last season, where the title was shared between the Lions and the Titans following a draw, the team that finished top of the log—the Lions — will now claim the trophy outright if the match ends in a stalemate.
Hendricks hopes the weather stays away so there can be a result, but he noted that even if there isn’t, the playing conditions state that the team finishing first in the group stages takes the trophy in the event of a draw.
He admitted that, unlike the Warriors, they don’t necessarily have to win the game to lift the silver, which is a nice thing to have at the back of their heads. However, he maintained that the team always plays to win at the Wanderers.
The Warriors, meanwhile, are eyeing a historic double as they look to add the first-class title to the CSA T20 Challenge trophy they secured earlier this season.
