Same names, same squad, same champions, but there will be a new vigour to reclaim lost ground and reinstate themselves as Sunfoil Series titleholders after relinquishing the four-day domestic title to the bizhub Highveld Lions, said Nabeal Dien, chief executive officer of the Cape Cobras, about the new Cape Cobras squad that has just been released.
The one addition to the present professional squad for the new season is the 21-year old former South African u.19-player Tshepo Moreki, who captured 22 wickets at an average of 27.81 for KwaZuly-Natal in the Sunfoil Cup Three-day competition in 2014/2015.
The ‘usual suspects’ who were part of the squad that won the Ram Slam T20 Challenge and featured as finalist in the Momentum One Day Cup Competition last season, were retained.
Dien was up-beat about the possibility that the left-arm swing bowler Beuran Hendricks will return to form after recovering from a potentially career-threatening back ailment.
He also believed the off-spinner Dane Piedt would continue his upward curve after returning from surgery midway through the 2014/2015-season.
The greatest challenges for the Cobras would be to find the perfect balance between bat and ball in the 2015/2016-season and to continue their more dominant performances with the bat which saw them finish strongly at the back-end of last season.
The three premier fast bowlers, Hendricks, Rory Kleinveldt and Dane Paterson, will carry a heavy load and will be challenged to capture the majority of the 20 wickets per game needed to win Sunfoil Series matches.
Hendricks captured 28 wickets in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge in 2013/2014, but was not available for the Cobras last season due to injury.
In his absence, Ferisco Adams was simply sensational, while George Linde also excelled as left-arm spinner in the domestic T20-campaign
The left-arm swing bowler Mpilo Njoloza is not currently a member of the squad, but the fast-evolving player could challenge the incumbents if he improves his fitness and conditioning and retains his impressive strike-rate.
Several members of the Cobras squad will form part of the winter high performance program starting on 1st June.
Only Moreki (national academy commitments), Keegan Petersen (set for the United Kingdom in August), Rory Kleinveldt and Richard Levi (who are representing Northampton in the English county series) will miss out.
The Nashua Cape Cobras squad for 2015/2016 is: Sybrand Engelbrecht, Beuran Hendricks, Justin Kemp, Shaheen Khan, Rory Kleinveldt, Richard Levi, Tshepo Moreki, Justin Ontong, Dane Paterson, Keegan Petersen, Robin Peterson, Dane Piedt, Andrew Puttick, Omphile Ramela, Mthokozisi Shezi, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas and Lizaad Williams.
The national players who are based at the Cobras are: Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Vernon Philander, Wayne Parnell and Dale Steyn.
The ‘usual suspects’ who were part of the squad that won the Ram Slam T20 Challenge and featured as finalist in the Momentum One Day Cup Competition last season, were retained.
Dien was up-beat about the possibility that the left-arm swing bowler Beuran Hendricks will return to form after recovering from a potentially career-threatening back ailment.
He also believed the off-spinner Dane Piedt would continue his upward curve after returning from surgery midway through the 2014/2015-season.
The greatest challenges for the Cobras would be to find the perfect balance between bat and ball in the 2015/2016-season and to continue their more dominant performances with the bat which saw them finish strongly at the back-end of last season.
The three premier fast bowlers, Hendricks, Rory Kleinveldt and Dane Paterson, will carry a heavy load and will be challenged to capture the majority of the 20 wickets per game needed to win Sunfoil Series matches.
Hendricks captured 28 wickets in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge in 2013/2014, but was not available for the Cobras last season due to injury.
In his absence, Ferisco Adams was simply sensational, while George Linde also excelled as left-arm spinner in the domestic T20-campaign
The left-arm swing bowler Mpilo Njoloza is not currently a member of the squad, but the fast-evolving player could challenge the incumbents if he improves his fitness and conditioning and retains his impressive strike-rate.
Several members of the Cobras squad will form part of the winter high performance program starting on 1st June.
Only Moreki (national academy commitments), Keegan Petersen (set for the United Kingdom in August), Rory Kleinveldt and Richard Levi (who are representing Northampton in the English county series) will miss out.
The Nashua Cape Cobras squad for 2015/2016 is: Sybrand Engelbrecht, Beuran Hendricks, Justin Kemp, Shaheen Khan, Rory Kleinveldt, Richard Levi, Tshepo Moreki, Justin Ontong, Dane Paterson, Keegan Petersen, Robin Peterson, Dane Piedt, Andrew Puttick, Omphile Ramela, Mthokozisi Shezi, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas and Lizaad Williams.
The national players who are based at the Cobras are: Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Vernon Philander, Wayne Parnell and Dale Steyn.