Ken Borland

The DP World Lions ladies team will be hoping for two days of sun and better basics as they take on the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers in Johannesburg this weekend, following their disappointing trip to Durban three weeks ago.

The Lions were frustrated to have their one-day match against the Dolphins abandoned due to rain, seeing them slip to fifth in the standings, and they then suffered a 10-wicket defeat in the T20 game.

But it’s not like coach Shaun Pretorius hit the roof or anything, he knows our DP World Lions ladies are not far off from winning form. Just one win in the One-Day Cup will lift them back up to third.

“Things didn’t go according to plan in Durban, and there were small things that we can learn from; the only way you’re going to learn those lessons is on the park,” Pretorius said.

“I’m quite confident actually that if we stick to the basics and follow our game-plans, then we have got enough ability to win this weekend. There are still good things happening around the team, there’s no stress.

“If we execute in the right phases of the game, if we get a grip on the game and then hang on to it, then we are capable of a bonus point win which has a massive effect on the log. It’s about handling situations, not overthinking things. We must focus on the ball being delivered now and not look too far ahead. One ball can change the game,” Pretorius said.

They may be feeling a little blue after recent results, but Pretorius has been reminding our #PrideOfJozi of past successes and epic performances like chasing 250 twice at the DP World Wanderers Stadium before.

Our Pride will be without Chloe Tryon and Shabnim Ismail, who are in India for the IPL, and young stars Karabo Meso and Jenna Evans, who are representing South Africa at the Africa Games in Ghana.

But the DP World Lions are not about individuals, but the system, and Pretorius backs the squad for this weekend to put their hands up in the key phases of the game.

Proteas star Tazmin Brits battered a century off the Lions in their meeting in Oudtshoorn in November, but our Pride will not be overly focused on her. Besides, the DP World Lions have experienced, quality Proteas batters of their own in Kirstie Thomson, Sunette Viljoen-Louw and Nonkululeko Thabethe.

The Wanderers pitch, sterilised by the sun and wind, began to play easier on Saturday and the Central Gauteng Lions capitalised by piling on the runs and then taking three quick North-West wickets on the second day of their CSA Four-Day Domestic Series match.

The Lions, led by Ryan Rickelton’s superbly compiled 159, amassed 408 in their first innings to stack up a 249-run first-innings lead.

In the 10 overs they then bowled to the North-West Dragons before stumps, they claimed three wickets for 50 runs, setting up the possibility of a three-day finish on Sunday.

Rickelton resumed on 33 not out on Saturday morning and was in dazzling touch as he collected 22 fours, his shot-selection and placement being immaculate.

Kagiso Rapulana (26) and Muhammed Mayet (34) shared the key partnerships with Rickelton, adding 80 for the third wicket and 86 for the fourth wicket respectively.

Malusi Siboto then ushered the Lions past 400 with his quickfire 52.

Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy was the most effective North-West bowler with 4/61 in 24.1 overs.

Duanne Olivier, who took four wickets in the first innings, then removed both North-West openers before stumps to leave the Lions firmly in charge.

Up the road at SuperSport Park, Sibonelo Makhanya (64*) and Jordan Hermann (56*) ended the day strongly for the Northerns Titans with their unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 123.

This stand rescued Northerns from 95/4, when they were still trailing by 29 runs, and they now lead the Eastern Province Warriors by 94.

This was debutant Hermann’s second half-century of the match and the U19 star is certainly an exciting talent.

Eastern Province made it to 258 all out in their first innings and this was largely due to opener Ed Moore’s determined 110, which spanned 188 deliveries.

Diego Rosier, who scored a dashing 85 on the first day, and Tiaan van Vuuren (20*) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.

Paceman Corbin Bosch and off-spinner Simon Harmer each took three wickets.

At Newlands, Khaya Zondo’s magnificent unbeaten double-century meant there were many funerals for the Western Province bowling figures.

Zondo compiled a thoroughly dominant 203 not out and, with Jason Smith stroking a fine 101, the KZN Dolphins piled up 489/9 declared.

Western Province then struggled to 101/4 in reply, including the demise of key batsman David Bedingham, caught-and-bowled by spinner Bryce Parsons for 62.

In Bloemfontein, veteran Free State Knights captain Pite van Biljon played some adorable strokes as he scored 137 with 14 fours and three sixes to lead the home side to 320 all out.

He marshalled the tail particularly well because Free State were 185/7 at one stage.

Fast bowler Hardus Viljoen (25-6-62-4) led the attack for Boland, who were 2/0 at the close.

Kagiso Rabada finally enjoyed his day in the sun as he spearheaded South Africa’s efforts to wrap up the first Test against the West Indies on the third day at St Lucia on Saturday, taking five for 34 as the Proteas won by an innings and 63 runs.

Rabada bowled superbly without much luck in the first innings, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje taking the honours as the West Indies were bundled out for just 97, their lowest ever score against South Africa. But in the second innings the 26-year-old gained reward for his skill, fire and accuracy, as he claimed his first five-wicket haul since taking 11 wickets in the epic win over Australia in Port Elizabeth in March 2018.

Rabada began what became the final day with figures of two for 18 in 10 overs, with the West Indies on 82 for four and still 143 behind. And he made the first breakthrough with a clever piece of cricket as a surprise full ball saw Jermain Blackwood driving straight to a well-placed short extra cover, Rassie van der Dusen taking a good low catch. That ended a partnership of 46 with Roston Chase.

He then returned shortly before the scheduled lunch break to dismiss Rahkeem Cornwall, also caught on the drive, for a duck and then, with the break delayed due to eight wickets being down, he bowled the stubborn Joshua de Silva (9), who shouldered arms to an inswinger and lost his off stump.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who bowled just four overs in the first innings, chipped in with two wickets, bowling both Jason Holder (4) and Chase for a determined 62.

The hosts sit with a massive problem when it comes to their batting because Chase was their only batsman to sore more than 20 in the match. Holder top-scored in the dismal first-innings with 20.

Nortje claimed three wickets, including the last to fall –  Jayden Seales caught by the safe hands of Wiaan Mulder in the slips – to finish with seven in the match and he was very much the enforcer in a South African attack that looked most accomplished and not out of place with some of the best bowling line-ups in the world.

This is only the second time South Africa have beaten the West Indies by an innings in the Caribbean, the previous occasion coming in 2005 when they beat them by an innings and 86 runs in Bridgetown, the capital city of Barbados. The Proteas have beaten the West Indies by an innings on three occasions at home.

An autumnal sun may be shining over SuperSport Park on Friday and the pitch could be a bit slower than usual, but Proteas coach Mark Boucher is still expecting good conditions and for wicket-taking firepower to be crucial in the middle overs of the first ODI against Pakistan.

The last time South Africa played a home ODI series in April was against Australia in 2009, the Proteas winning the rubber 3-2. While spinners played a big role in the series, the most interesting result came at Centurion when Australia were destroyed by early-morning swing, Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell sharing eight wickets, to be bowled out for just 131. Friday’s match has a 10am start time.

“It’s certainly cooling down, it’s why I’m wearing my tracksuit top and a couple of the guys have come down with a bit of flu,” Boucher said in his virtual interview on Thursday. “Generally, the colder it gets up here the slower the pitch, but it still looks pretty good. There hasn’t been as much cricket played on it this summer so it probably is a bit fresher than usual. And it’s a day game so I expect good conditions, but just a touch slower to what we’re used to.

“We’ve got the pace though and we need wickets in the middle overs. From overs 11-40 we want to be nice and aggressive, make the play and not just sit back and wait for things to happen. So I hope the quicks run in and be really aggressive. You tend to win games if you take wickets in that period and we’ve got the firepower and the spinner to do that.”

Boucher confirmed that all 22 members of the ODI squad are fit and available, including all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo, who injured his ankle in the first game of the domestic T20 competition and has not played since February 19.

The last time the Proteas played ODI cricket was when they whitewashed Australia 3-0 a year ago, but not all of those star performers are going to be in the starting XI on Friday.

“A lot of guys were rested from that series and there were a couple of injuries, plus it was a long time ago. So by rights certain players will come back and have got to fill their spots again, but we will also take form into consideration. It’s nice to have a full-strength squad to choose from and the guys who were given an opportunity really performed. But there will be honest conversations about who is first in line.

“Temba Bavuma will probably bat three and we see Aiden Markram as someone we can juggle, but he will probably start up front although he can bat three or four. We’ve selected a squad in line with what we want to do in the 2023 World Cup, but it’s more important to win now and we want give guys opportunities where they have really done well for their franchises,” Boucher said.