Warriors sharpen for one-dayers

THE Chevrolet Warriors will crank it up a gear when the Momentum One Day Cup swings into action this weekend.

South Africa's six franchises started the cricket season with Sunfoil Series four-day matches which will now step aside for the faster 50-over version of the game.

It is a format the Warriors have excelled in recently. They finished runners-up to the Cape Cobras last season and will be looking to take that one step better in a bid to win the competition for a second time.

To get that pursuit off to a solid start, they are going to have to hit the ground running and perform in their first three fixtures which are spread over six days.

Their opening fixture takes them to Kimberley to face the Knights on Sunday. On Wednesday, they are back in Port Elizabeth at Axxess St George's for a crack at the Highveld Lions, runners- up to the Sydney Sixers in the Champions League T20 final at the weekend. They then head to Durban to play the Dolphins on Friday.

"I think the packed programme is good for momentum," Warriors coach Piet Botha said yesterday. "It's nice to play game after game and everybody wants to start well. It will be nice to kind of get two wins out of three up front. That will be a good start."