Lions Ladies ready to roar into action

The focus is on the big moments for our DP World Lions Ladies team this weekend as they head to Bloemfontein to get the CSA 2024/25 Season underway against the Free State Knights, with coach Shaun Pretorius saying all the hard work has been done in the pre-season and now it is all down to the execution.

The DP World Lions Ladies finished as runners-up in both the Pro50 and Pro20 competitions last season, so #ThePrideOfJozi are hungry to get over the line this season.

“The focus is on BMT, those big situations when we need to step up and show character, those times when our backs are against the wall. We’ve had quite a few warm-up games, including against the Titans and the Knights, as well as lots of middle sessions and sometime in the classroom as well, where we went over our game-plans and KPIs. There’s been incredible buy-in from the squad, all the hard work is done - the preparation has gone really well. We could not ask for better in terms of the facilities at the DP World Wanderers Stadium, so now it all comes down to the execution,” Pretorius said.

Pretorius is not a keen advertiser of his selections ahead of matches and in terms of the squad he is taking to Bloemfontein, all he wanted to say was that there are a couple of injured players at present, for which they have very good cover, and that there are very experienced players going to take on the Knights which the team is excited about.

The Lions have good memories of their last visit to Bloemfontein, when they chased down 248 with 31 balls and six wickets to spare in the one-day game and then won the T20 match by seven wickets with seven balls to spare.

“We will not take anything lightly going there. Even though we won both games there last season, we still have to execute properly and be clinical in the different phases of the game. Free State have some good players and over the weekend we just need to deliver the excellence we want as a team and enjoy every ball and challenge. We have a special squad filled with special players and I am excited for the season ahead and to watch them perform,” Pretorius concluded.