23 Sep DRAGONS AND WESTERN PROVINCE READY TO DEFEND ONE-DAY AND T20 TITLES
JOHANNESBURG – North West Dragons and the Six Gun Grill Western Province will kick off their respective CSA Women’s Provincial One-Day Cup and T20 Cup title defences this weekend when the South African domestic season begins between 24 – 25 September.
In Division One, Western Province will travel to Tshwane to face the Fidelity Titans while North West will host the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in Potchefstroom. In the only second division clash of the opening weekend, Free State go up against Boland in Bloemfontein to round-up the first week’s
action.
The total of six back-to-back 50-over and T20 encounters will be streamed live on Pitch Vision, with all the matches beginning at 10h00 SAST.
Last season, the Dragons clinched the One-Day Cup in dominant fashion with an 11-point lead on the Top 6 standings, winning eight out of their 10 matches. Momentum Proteas top-order batter, Tazmin Brits, who has since left for the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers, top-scored with 390 runs in just five innings, with SA U19 starlet Nthabiseng Nini taking 17 wickets with a best of 3 / 23.
Ahead of their two season-openers against the Dolphins hosted at the Witrand cricket grounds, newly appointed Dragons head coach Claude April shared his team’s ambition and readiness for the campaign.
“(The aim is) to defend our title. To defend our title and give it a good go for the T20 competition.
“When we started off (with season preparation), we had a few fitness assessments and I must say, some of our players were looking very good in terms of our conditioning. We had a couple of intense net sessions – morning and afternoon – as well as a lot of conditioning. It was quite intense the way the players went about their business and going at each other.
“The way the game has evolved around the women’s space, there’s endless opportunities.
“We talked a lot about the game and we were able to have middle practices, unfortunately we weren’t able to have a match, but some of our players have been busy right through the season so come gameday on Saturday, we will be there,” he added.
Meanwhile, the reigning champions in the shorter format, Western Province, will be looking for a repeat performance of their 2021 / 22 season. The Cape Town based outfit finished second behind North West in the One-Day competition before going onto claim the T20 title with a perfect record of five wins out of five.
WP’s top-performers last season included the Proteas-capped pair of Faye Tunnicliffe, who ended as the leading run-scorer in T20s with 215 runs at an average of 71.66, and all-rounder Delmi Tucker, while seamer Leah Jones contributed heavily with the ball.
Before setting off for an intriguing challenge against the Titans Ladies being held at the Tshwane University of Technology, WP coach, Claire Terblanche shared her pre-match thoughts, highlighting the importance of continuous improvement for domestic success.
“We are pretty excited. We’ve put our hard work in during the off-season and we are really excited to get going against Northerns (Titans) this weekend.
“Every season we try and improve, season to season and from game to game, and the cherry on top is taking the T20 competition and bringing home that trophy again and I feel that if we grow every time we play, I think we will be the team to beat.
“I am very much looking forward to that (match against Titans) because the last time we came up against Northerns it was quite a formidable match to say the least. They beat us in the 50-over and the T20 actually went down to the wire, last over of the game, and we came out triumphant.
“As the season goes one, each team across the provinces, they do improve, so it is for us to improve as well to maintain our status,” Terblanche said.
Audio featuring interviews with Claire Terblanche and Claude April can be located here.
Opening Weekend Fixtures:
CSA Women’s Provincial One-Day Cup (All matches start at 10h00 SAST)
Division One (Top 6) –
Saturday, 24 September: North West Dragons vs Hollywoodbets Dolphins (Witrand, Potchefstroom)
Saturday, 24 September: Fidelity Titans vs Six Gun Grill Western Province (TUT Oval, Tshwane)
Division Two
Saturday, 24 September: Free State vs Boland (CUT, Bloemfontein)
CSA Women’s Provincial T20 Cup Cup (All matches start at 10h00 SAST)
Division One (Top 6) –
Sunday, 25 September: North West Dragons vs Hollywoodbets Dolphins (Witrand, Potchefstroom)
Sunday, 25 September: Fidelity Titans vs Six Gun Grill Western Province (TUT Oval, Tshwane)
Division Two
Sunday, 25 September: Free State vs Boland (CUT, Bloemfontein)
CSA Women’s Provincial Squads 2022 / 23:
Division One –
North West Dragons: Nthabiseng Nini, Elandri Janse van Rensburg, Anica Swart, Wilmi Mostert, Anneme Janse van Rensburg, Neo Mabaso, Humaira Ebrahim, Sonique Bronkhorst, Katlego Setlhodi, Tshegofatso Monyela.
Semi-Pro Contracts: Izel Cilliers, Alyssa Erxleben, Evodia Yekile, Lizri de Villiers, Zintle Mali.
National Contracts: Masabata Klaas, Anneke Bosch (CSA High-Performance).
Six Gun Grill Western Province: Sinelethu Yaso, Kayla Reyneke, Stacey Lackay, Robyn Appels, Yandiswa Mangele, Kelsey Adams, Anri Grobbelaar, Christine Tomlinson, Michelle Mutongawafa, Yasmeen Khan, Babette de Leede.
Semi-Pro Contracts: Saarah Smith, Leah Jones, Nosipho Vesi, Delmi Tucker, Tatum le Roux.
National Contracts: Laura Wolvaardt, Lara Goodall, Sinalo Jafta.
CSA HP Contracts: Nadine de Klerk, Andrie Steyn, Faye Tunnicliffe.
Fidelity Titans: Ricea Coetzer, Mignon du Preez, Monalisa Legodi, Kay-leigh Tapp, Josephine Maswangane, Kgalalelo Matsepe, Lebogang Rachel Nkadimeng, Lesedi Jane Madisha, Amogelang Maphangula, Katherine Prior, Khanyisile Faith Skhosana, Sunette Viljoen, Khushi Mistry, Jenna Searle.
Semi-Pro Contracts: Robyn Searle, Nicolien Janse Van Rensburg, Eliz-Mari Marx, Paulinah Mashishi, Jafta Gandhi.
National Contracts: Suné Luus.
CSA HP Contract: Tebogo Macheke
Hollywoodbets Dolphins: Hlubi Ayanda, Ngubane Sisanda, Naidu Seshnie, Pather Chandré, Madlala Sabathile, Busane Nobuhle, Shoba Nonjabulo, Nzuza Luyanda, Candler Alex, Mngoma Nonhlanhla.
Semi-Pro Contracts: Nicole de Klerk, Courtney Gounden, Jade de Figuerido, Kiara Fisher, Asamkele Kawu.
National Contracts: Chetty Trisha, Ismail Shabnim, Tryon Chloé, Mlaba Nonkululeko.
CSA HP Contracts: Shangase Nondumiso, Baneti Nobulumko,
Division Two –
Free State: Potgieter Yolandi, Jansen v Rensburg Gezelle, Kula Zintle, Kheni Sindiswa, Smit Miane, Hoffman Delmari, Nel Rene, John Nonzwakazi, Masukela Tlaleng, Vos Christelize, Nthabiseng April, Ntsane Mampe, van Wyk Christen, Gate Erica, Mokoena Bonolo, Nkoga Katlego, Majane Monica.
Boland: Tabitha La Grange (C), Zizipho Mdebuka (VC) (WK), Gizelle Abrahams, Juanita Janse Van Rensburg, Zama Senti, Julia Hoal, Asemahle Nsthanga, Michaela Hanekom, Arisha Van Niekerk, Gemeez Adams, Shonica Wildschut, Anja La Grange, Doni Lin, Christen Hanekom, Cari Steenkamp, Maudeen Dampies, Chantelle Van Schoor, Danelie Boshoff.
For media enquiries, please contact:
CSA Media Manager – Lita Gqirana
Cell.: (+27) 76 503 9655
Email: litag@cricket.co.za
ENDS
Issued by: Cricket South Africa – Corporate Communications
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