New-look Titans look for lift after lean season

Overview
The most successful South African franchise had a lean summer in 2012-13 and did not collect a single trophy. They finished last in the first-class competition they were defending, fared slightly better in the fifty-over tournament and were beaten in the final of the Twenty20 competition.

But the defeat that stung them most was their semi-final loss to the Sydney Sixers in last year's CLT20. The match was snatched away from them off the last ball and then-captain Martin van Jaarsveld was obviously stunned at the media engagement afterwards. Titans are seldom used to coming off second-best, and to succumb to defeat at home in a tournament where they fared well, hurt them.

They have a second chance, having qualified to play in the CLT20 again albeit in vastly different conditions to their own, and they will fancy their chances of bettering their showing because they are an almost entirely different unit. For a change, they will have some big-name internationals, who usually are unavailable for them, in their line-up and they will also be lead by a new coach.

Van Jaarsveld, who has retired, will not be around to lead them. Instead, Henry Davids, who has already captained them in the longer format, takes over in all competitions. Davids is an experienced domestic player who has learned to manage his charges well but will also hope his leadership skills get noticed by those in decision-making positions at national level and maybe even an IPL franchise.

He's not the only player who will want to use this shop window as a way to showcase himself. Fit-again Marchant de Lange, who has recovered from a stress fracture which kept him out of the game for most of last summer and a rib niggle which bothered him in pre-season, is another. Charging in to bowl at 150kph plus, de Lange will be looking to make a case for a national recall. Opening batsman Davids and allrounder Roelof van der Merwe are also players to watch out for.

Most importantly, Titans will use this event to begin a new era. After a difficult last season, and following the departure of the much-loved Matthew Maynard, they seemed to have lost some direction. But a changing of the guard may have breathed fresh verve into them. The CLT20 could be the place to show that off first.

Key players
Although Titans have lost Albie Morkel and Faf du Plessis to Chennai Super Kings, who are incidentally in their group, they have the good fortune of having two other key national players in their squad. AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel would have played for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils respectively, but neither team qualified.

International and T20 commitments mean they rarely turn out for Titans even though both of are products of the franchise. It presents the conundrum of who to leave out to make room for these must-have players, but it a problem any franchise would be happy to have.

De Villiers, who gives them a third wicket-keeping option after Heino Kuhn and Mangaliso Mosehle, can bat anywhere in the order, while Morkel will spearhead their pace attack. Both players have had ample experience having toured India, and could be ideal mentors for some of the younger crop.

Weaknesses
A change in leadership can be a positive, but it could also trip Titans up, especially as it will be their first assignment with new personnel in charge. Rob Walter, formerly South Africa's fitness and fielding coach, has taken over from Maynard and may have a baptism of fire in one of cricket's biggest club tournaments.

Walter has not had any competitive experience with his squad, although they have played a few warm-up games, so he has not had time to allow his style to sink in. Add to that that Titans do not often have the national players at their disposal and Walter's management just became tougher. Without having had the time to come up with patterns of play, Walter's credentials will be tested on the toughest stage.

Surprise package
In a squad packed with international players, Titans sometimes don't have room for an under-the-radar type, but Ethy Mbhalati is one of their longest-serving. Mbhalati leads the attack in all their domestic games, and is known for his accuracy. Although he does not have the pace of de Lange or Morkel, his discipline should serve him well on the slower tracks of the subcontinent.