After just missing out on promotion to Division One last season, the Eastern Cape Iinyathi embark on another journey, determined to reach their ultimate goal of playing in the top flight of SA cricket.
That voyage starts on Thursday with a fixture at the Polokwane Cricket Club where they face the Limpopo Impalas in a Division 2 First Class game.
The match will be played over three days in line with the new format restructuring by Cricket SA.
After the shortened red-ball tussle, the team will shift their focus to white-ball cricket against the same opposition in the Pro50 Shield on Sunday.
The First Class and Pro50 outcomes will be used to determine which teams get promoted after two seasons.
Last season, Border finished second behind the Knights in the race for promotion.
Iinyathi top-order batter Jerome Bossr says they want to be at their best.
Though they have lost marquee players Nico van Zyl and Chad Classen, who were impressive in their first-class and one-day campaigns last season, Bossr felt that having retained the majority of the core group, they would still have a sense of continuity.
He feels that, of the majority of the teams in Division 2, they have a batting line-up that complements their bowlers.
“We have won trophies in the past seasons.
“We are obviously looking to build and get more in the cabinets, but it will be key to take each session as it comes this season,” Bossr said.
“The boys have been putting in some work and are fit; they have shown some new skills in the nets and executing, which has been really nice to see.“
Bossr returns to the team after a lengthy period on the sidelines due to injury.
He is raring to go after having spent some time in the UK playing club cricket for Ackworth, picking up some form.
“I’m very excited to be back. I spent a season in the UK; before that I was away from the game for seven months of no play after my injury.
“I’m fresh and back,” Bossr said.
Prior to the Impalas match, Iinyathi had a friendly against Division 1 Knights in Komani to put on the final touches ahead of their opener.
Bossr and Nathan Roux will likely face the new ball as openers.
Jason Niemand, Lihle Sizani, Mncedisi Malika, Michael Copeland and Hardus Coetzer will fill the middle-order, while Thando Ntini, Kgaudi Molefe, Alindile Mhletywa and Sithembile Langa make up the potential bowling attack.
Christiaan du Toit, Mathew Fourie and youngster Riley Miller are some options as hard hitters for Iinyathi head coach Rowan Richards should the pitch be deemed suitable for batting.
The last meeting between the Impalas and Iinyathi in December 2025 in Polokwane ended in a draw.
The Impalas produced a 350-plus first innings total and Iinyathi were 150/2 before the match was rained out.