The season is over for the DP World Lions Ladies as they ended their campaign with a victory to further cement the certainty that this is a team on the rise. Runner-up finishes in both the One-Day Cup and T20 Competition is a warning to all other sides that this team will be strong title contenders next summer.
On Sunday at the DP World Wanderers Stadium, #ThePrideOfJozi beat Dolphins by five wickets with three balls to spare in their T20 encounter, partly making up for the disappointment of being edged out by the KwaZulu-Natalians for the One-Day title the previous day.
The T20 triumph was the DP World Lions’ seventh win in their 10 matches, finishing six points clear of the South-Western Districts Badgers in third place. Western Province had already claimed the title by winning eight of their 10 matches.
The DP World Lions won the toss and sent the Dolphins in and backed that decision up by claiming a wicket in the second over: Samantha Schutte having Nonhle Busane caught for six. #ThePrideOfJozi is also a much-improved fielding side and Jenna Evans then ran out Luyanda Nzuza for a duck in the second over.
Lions captain Kgomotso Rapoo is one of the canniest spinners in the provincial leagues and she then claimed the wickets of Proteas all-rounder Nondumiso Shangase, bowled for nine, and Dolphins skipper Courtney Gounden (18) on her way to excellent figures of 2/21 in four overs.
Leg-spinner Madison Landsman also picked up a couple of wickets as the Dolphins were restricted to 121/6 in their 20 overs. Seamers Lehlohonolo Meso (4-1-23-0) and Relebohile Mkhize (4-0-19-0) also did a fine job for the Lions.
After the shock of Landsman unfortunately being run out without facing a ball on the second delivery of the innings, the Lions’ chase started brilliantly with Sunette Viljoen-Louw (32 off 29 balls) and Kirstie Thomson (42 off 37 balls) racing them to 62 in eight overs.
That left 60 runs to get at a required run-rate of five to the over but the tumble of four wickets meant nerves were slightly agitated as the requirement climbed to run-a-ball. But a fine contribution from 17-year-old Diara Ramlakan (24), the experience of Nonkululeko Thabethe (11 off 11) and a quickfire five not out off four balls in the last over by Evans saw the Pride home.
The previous day, the Lions had set off on the final leg of their One-Day Cup journey knowing that a bonus point win over the Dolphins would win them the title, based on having won more matches.
The de facto ‘final’ started smoothly enough for the Pride as they won the toss and bowled first and tight bowling and tidy fielding made it difficult for the visitors to accelerate. In the end the Dolphins could only post 200/7 in their 50 overs.
Rapoo was once again outstanding with the ball with 1/22 in her 10 overs, while leg-spinner Landsman bowled marvelously well in the closing overs and took 2/19 in five overs. Left-armer Mkhize twice broke up threatening partnerships to finish with 2/39.
Given the way the Lions have raced to targets of more than 250 at the DP World Wanderers Stadium previously this season, 201 in 40 overs for the bonus point and the silverware was certainly gettable.
But unfortunately, #ThePrideOfJozi could not get going in the face of some excellent bowling and fielding by the Dolphins and an autumnal pitch that made strokeplay difficult.
Captain Rapoo mounted a valiant effort to steer her team to the target in 40 overs as she hammered 60 off 53 balls which carried the Lions to within 25 runs of victory.
As runners-up in both competitions, the Lions Ladies can hold their heads high after a season of consistent excellence that has confirmed them as one of the best teams in the country.
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