Photo Credit: Lions Cricket
The DP World Lions Ladies are ready for the season ahead. Fit, revived and hungry to lift more trophies, the campaign kicks off with a home game at the iconic DP World Wanderers Stadium on 30 September versus Recon Tactical Free State.
Head Coach Shaun Pretorius believes that the title of CSA T20 Champions places a positive pressure on your shoulders;
“We plan on taking ownership of our strategies and our games with execution and adaptiveness serving as our core this season. We’ll miss several Protea players for the large majority of the season, which then affords us the opportunity to thoroughly test and challenge the depth within our squad.
I believe that the season will be a well contested one – most especially because all 6 unions will have 11 professionalized players all eager to showcase their talents. With that being said, Lions Cricket has an incredibly powerful pipeline and I know that our homegrown talent will flourish this season. There will be no easy games and with the double round competition format, it will be an interesting two seasons before we see who’s promoted and relegated. As a team, we’re ready to fight in every format and I have asked players to literally put their body on the line for this team. I wish all of our 25 players the very best of luck for the season and I believe that their individual and team goals will be reached. I do hope that each member of our Pride knows how proud we are of her.”
Pouncing straight into the thick of things, #ThePrideOfJozi start their season with a double header at home. Saturday’s CSA Women’s One Day Cup will be followed by Sunday’s CSA Women’s T20 Challenge fixture – both of which pip the Pride against the Free State.
With no time to lose, it’s a good thing that 21-year-old captain Kgomotso Rapoo confirms that the team is currently feeling as good as it ever has;
“We feel so good right now – fully believing in one another on the eve of the season. I believe that we are in the right space mentally and physically; with solid pre-season preparation having been completed. The energy from management, feeding into the team has been amazing. Our objective is improvement – no matter how small, we want to be better and better each time we stride out. For us, we want to focus on unity and loyalty as a team and understanding each other and how we fit into the Pride. We will give of our best, in order to get the best results because pride is what we create and pride is what we are.”
Fans from far and wide are always warmly welcomed at the DP World Wanderers Stadium. Bring your friends and family and enjoy the heaps of free entertainment on offer – most especially for the kids, whilst you bask in the sunshine and soak up some cracking cricket from #ThePrideOfJozi. The DP World Lions Ladies would not only appreciate your support but promise to deliver explosive world class performances that ROAR with pride.
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DP World Women’s 2023/24 squad:
Ayabonga Khaka (Protea); Tumi Sekhukhune (Protea); Chloe Tryon (Protea); Sinalo Jafta (Protea); Shabnim Ismail; Raisibe Ntozakhe; Kgomotso Rapoo; Lehlohonolo Sardick; Palesa Mapoo; Sarah Nettleton; Jenna Evans; Nonkululeko Thabethe; Kirstie Thomson; Sunette Viljoen-Louw; Jameelah Shaikjee; Samantha Schutte; Madison Landsman; Refilwe Moncho; Sarah Barber; Karabo Meso; Diara Ramlakan; Bianca Booyjens; Relebohile Mkhize; Thristan Cronje.
