DP World Lions Ladies do the Pride proud

The drip-drip slow torture of Raisibe Ntozakhe's off-spin was too much for the KZN Hollywoodbets Dolphins at the weekend as the former Protea led the DP World Lions Ladies team to two devastating victories over one of their biggest rivals in the Hollywoodbets Pro Series matches in Johannesburg.

The 28-year-old Ntozakhe had an astonishing haul of nine wickets for just 33 runs in the 12 overs she bowled across the 50-over and T20 games. She was magnificent in one of the most dramatic women's List A matches played at the DP World Wanderers, the log-leaders being bundled out for 61 as Ntozakhe took 5/11 in eight overs, three of which were maidens.

The Lions then strolled to a crucial bonus point victory by eight wickets in the 18th over, meaning they will go into the final round of fixtures on March 22 with a five-point lead at the top of the log over the Dolphins.

In Sunday's T20 match, Ntozakhe, who played the last of her 21 ODIs and 12 T20s for South Africa in 2022, was at it again, tormenting the Dolphins with figures of 4/22 in her four overs.

With great support from the rest of the Lions bowlers, most notably Refilwe Moncho (4-0-24-2) and Lehlohonolo Sardick-Meso (4-0-10-1) with the new ball, the Dolphins could only inch their way to 84/7 in their 20 overs.

Having been sent in to bat, #ThePrideOfJozi had early struggles with the bat themselves, reaching 43/3 in the first nine overs. But a brilliant partnership between Karabo Meso and Sunette Viljoen-Louw disabled the Dolphins' dominance as they added 83 for the fourth wicket in less than a dozen overs.

Meso showed the full array of her strokes as she scored a dazzling 56 not out off 53 balls, and Viljoen-Louw was as solid as ever in making 30 not out off 29 deliveries as the pair put aside a 24-year age-gap to take the Lions to 126/3 in their 20 overs.

The Lions attack then girded themselves brilliantly for the defence of that total, with captain Kgomotso Rapoo and spinner Sarah Nettleton also producing great spells as they only conceded 17 and 11 runs respectively in their four overs.

There are no weak links in this Lions bowling line-up and Proteas star Ayabonga Khaka gave nothing away up front with the new ball in the Pro50 match, taking 2/13 in seven overs to set the tone. Spinner Rapoo then wrapped up the Dolphins innings with 3/20 after Ntozakhe had demolished the middle-order.

Nonkhululeko Thabethe (25*) and Meso (23*) then steered #ThePrideOfJozi to their target.

They finish their campaign against Gauteng rivals the Titans, who have no chance of overtaking them, at the DP World Wanderers Stadium, while the Dolphins need a bonus point win against Western Province in Cape Town just to draw level with #ThePrideOfJozi.