Former Sixer ready to fire against former teammates after shaking lingering back complaint

Free from pain for the first time in the tournament, Johan Botha is itching to have a bigger impact when he takes on his former BBL side for the first time.

Johan Botha has declared himself 100 per cent fit after overcoming a back complaint that had hampered his efforts so far this Big Bash tournament. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

FREE from pain for the first time in the tournament, Johan Botha is itching to have a bigger impact when he takes on his former BBL side for the first time on Friday night.

The former South Africa captain, who joined the Hurricanes after two Big Bash campaigns with the Sydney Sixers, revealed after the opening match against Brisbane that he has battled a back complaint which nearly ruled him out this season.

And while he finished with 2-30, including the wicket of opener Max Bryant who helped get the Heat off to a flyer, Botha has not bowled a full allotment of four overs in the past three games.

Johan Botha, right, celebrates a wicket with keeper and captain Matthew Wade during the match against the Brisbane Heat last month. Picture: GETTY

However after sending down two overs in the victory against Perth, Botha has declared himself back to 100 per cent and is eager to elevate his game as Hobart chases a club record five consecutive wins.

“The previous game was probably the first time I have felt 100 per cent,” he said.

“I ran well in the field, chased a few and the two overs I felt I could change my pace a lot better again.

“I felt in the first three games, even though it went pretty well in Brisbane, I felt the change of pace wasn’t much, it was slow to slower.

“At least now there is a little bit more variation in pace and length and it is more what I have done in the past.

“Hopefully I can keep that going … and not have batters line you up as easily.

“For me coming in, it has been a little bit of a slow start, I know I haven’t been required too much but still I feel I have been a little bit off the boil with not playing a lot of cricket.”

Johan Botha breaks his bat as he plays a shot against the Heat last month. Picture: AAP

The unbeaten Hurricanes have started BBL|08 with a bang, and if they can improve to 5-0 at Blundstone Arena on Friday night it would see them skip two wins clear on top of the table.

Botha, who started his Twenty20 career in Australia with Adelaide, said the focus has been firmly on improving each match, but is aware of the opportunity to set the tournament up with a five-game road stretch approaching.

“You can’t win the tournament at the moment but you can certainly set it up,” he said.

“With a couple of teams I think are one from five, so there is starting to open a little gap but if we can get another couple of wins now, that will really go a long way to get us to the playoffs.

“That’s the most important thing, every team wants to be in the top four and from there you are two games away from winning the tournament.

“Ten games [left] is still a long way, a lot can go right or a lot can go wrong in that time.”