Ken Borland

Despite a small hiccup in the T20 match, DP World Lions women’s coach Shaun Pretorius is sticking to the same squad that did duty in Bloemfontein, with the addition of three returnees from injury, for this weekend’s HollywoodBets Pro Series matches at home against the South-Western Districts Garden Route Badgers.

Our DP World Lions started the season with an impressive Pro50 win over the Free State Knights, headlined by Karabo Meso’s brilliant century and the all-round form of Jenna Evans, but they lost by six wickets with two balls remaining in their Pro20 encounter.

Given that #ThePrideOfJozi had slipped to 113 for five in the one-day match before Meso and Evans batted sensationally to add 171 for the sixth wicket, and that they scored just 115 for five in the T20 game, it is good news that two leading batters have recovered from injury and will return to the squad this weekend – veteran Kirstie Thomson and 20-year-old Netherlands international Madison Landsman.

“We’ve added to the squad with Kirstie back and Madison over her concussion and having scored a century in a club game. Plus our left-armer, Relebohile Mkhize, is back from injury and she was definitely one of our unsung heroines last season, both as a bowler and a member of the team. She is under-rated, but she is so consistent and strikes at the right times for us,” Pretorius said.

“The youngsters got us out of a hole in the 50-over match, but we want to show our backing in our selection. In the T20 game, the pitch was quite up-and-down and our batters just need to read the game better, to understand the conditions and not assume anything. The pitches are deteriorating more because we are having longer matches on them.

“The intent from the batters was not really there and some bowlers did not hit their straps, so we were on the back foot. But we have a quality attack and we did well to make a game of it,” Pretorius said.

In his dozen years and more involvement in women’s cricket, Pretorius said Meso’s innings in Bloemfontein was perhaps the best he has ever seen.

Meso came to the crease at 52 for three in the 10^th over, the DP World Lions having lost two wickets in successive deliveries, and the 17-year-old eased her way in measured fashion to a 56-ball half-century, with six fours. But as her partnership with Evans grew, the wicketkeeper/batted laid into the Knights bowlers, ending with an astonishing 128 not out off 129 deliveries, with 15 fours and a six.

“It’s probably the best innings I’ve seen in the last 12 to 15 years,” Pretorius said. “Just the way she assessed the situation and tried to build partnerships, and then she knew exactly when to take the game forward.

“Jenna was also phenomenal, scoring 65 not out and then making the breakthrough with the ball when Free State had a hundred partnership and then wrapping up the innings with four wickets. They both have a very bright future ahead.”

The Badgers come to the DP World Wanderers Stadium having lost both their Pro50 and Pro20 matches against the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins in Oudtshoorn in the opening round of fixtures.

PORT EDWARD – Jaco Ahlers backed up his opening-day 64 with another six-under-par score on Thursday in the second round of the SunBet Challenge hosted by Wild Coast Sun, once again conquering the blustery conditions with barely a hiccup as he stretched his advantage at the top of the leaderboard.

Ahlers only dropped a single shot on Thursday, at the par-three 17^th, but he collected five birdies and an eagle on the par-five 16^th in his second-round 64 that took him to 12-under-par, four ahead of Keegan McLachlan going into the final round on Friday.

Ahlers started his round on the 10^th on Thursday and was cruising from the outset with two birdies in the first three holes. He again did the bulk of his scoring on the back nine, going out in 31, and his bogey-free front nine featured birdies on the two par-fives – the third and the seventh holes.

“I’m pretty chuffed because it was a bit windy today. The greens on the back nine are a bit better, less bumpy, so I was able to roll the ball better and make more putts there,” Ahlers said.

“I missed a few putts coming in, I was a bit cautious on the greens and left a few short. But overall I didn’t miss many greens today and that’s the key at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club, to give yourself opportunities. I will just keep doing what I’m doing: hit the greens and hopefully make a few putts. I play the course as it is because I’m not the longest hitter and I can’t overpower it,” Ahlers said.

The 11-time winner on the Sunshine Tour enjoyed a bit of fortune for his eagle on the 16^th. Having tugged his tee-shot a bit on the 492m par-five, it rode the wind and lay in the semi-rough.

“I got a bit lucky,” Ahlers admitted. “That hole was downwind today and I only had 110 to the flag, I hit it to 10 feet and made the putt. Which I was very pleased about because everyone is going to score on that hole today.”

Trevor Mahoney, who shot 65 in the first round to be second, one stroke behind Ahlers, saw his hopes die an ugly death on the par-five 12^th as he posted a 10, on his way to a 78 and missing the cut by just one stroke.

McLachlan is now second after shooting a 66, also with just one bogey, on Thursday. Gerhard Pepler is one stroke further back after a never-say-die 66, in which he bounced back from a double-bogey on the 12^th by collecting birdies on the 14^th, 15^th and 18^th holes.

Brandon Stone is in fourth place, seven strokes behind Ahlers after a second-round 67, but the leader will be anxious about Stone’s ability to go really low in the final round of events.