The Eastern Cape franchise are currently second on the table behind the runaway leaders, the Titans, whom they trail by 10 points, but with two games in hand.

However, it is the form of the Knights that Maketa was referring to. They showed impressive form in the first one-and-a-half games of the season – the second when David Miller struck a century as they went on to lose a high-scoring encounter to the Titans – with the Warriors coach wary of facing them.

“I don’t think it’s a fair reflection of the quality squad they are,” Maketa said. “We know it’s going to be tough because that’s how our games against them always tend to go, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

The Warriors, on the other hand, have impressed in their own right by winning three out of their four games, two of which were with bonus points.

“It’s been a good start,” the coach added. “We wanted to really, really make sure we start well and I think we have. From here forward it’s about taking it game-by-game and making sure we build on what we’ve already done.”

Colin Ingram has been named in the squad, but faces a late fitness test.

The Knights suffered another blow to their prospects after Standard Bank Proteas star Miller’s calf flared up once again, ruling him out of the contest. Rookie Leus du Plooy has been added to their squad.

Coach Nicky Bojé conceded things had not gone according to plan thus far, but refused to give up hope in the race for the play-offs. The Knights are currently last on the table with their bonus-point triumph in their opening match against the BuildNat Cape Cobras the only points next to their name. “It’s difficult to say what’s gone wrong, but I think we’ve just lacked in one discipline in all the games,” Boje explained. “Either the batting wasn’t good, the bowling wasn’t good or the fielding. We just haven’t had everything come together.

“But it’s a work in process, we’re working hard at getting things right. We have five games left and working on winning all of them to get to the play-off. One or two wins and then hopefully we can go on a bit of a run.”

Warriors squad: Jon-Jon Smuts (captain), Colin Ackermann, Andrew Birch, Gihahn Cloete, Clyde Fortuin, Aya Gqamane, Colin Ingram, Christiaan Jonker, Sisanda Magala, Lesiba Ngoepe, Solomzi Nqweni, Somila Seyibokwe, Basheer Walters, David White.

Knights squad: Tumelo Bodibe, Patrick Botha, Theunis de Bruyn (captain), Marchant de Lange, Andries Gous, Patrick Kruger, Duanne Olivier, Leus du Plooy, Lotli Sesele, Aubrey Swanepoel, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Lwandiswa Zuma.