The third week of the Hollywoodbets Pro Series features an intriguing set of encounters, with double defending champions YesPlay Cobras, DP World Lions, Hollywoodbets Dolphins and the Warriors all in action over the weekend of 17–18 October.
The Dolphins will host the newly promoted Warriors at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium in Durban, while the Lions and Cobras will face off at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg in a repeat of last season’s finals in both the Hollywoodbets Pro50 and Pro20 Series.
Entry is free and both matches will be streamed live on Cricket South Africa’s YouTube Channel.
The Cobras head into the Lions clash on the back of mixed results from the opening weekend, claiming a convincing Pro50 victory over the Garden Route Badgers before their Western Cape neighbours turned the tables with a 12-run win in the Pro20 competition.
"It's been a great start to the 50-over stuff,” allrounder Nadine de Klerk commented.
"Getting one of our highest scores ever and putting up a really good performance, but we couldn't quite back it up in the T20s. I still think there are a lot of positives: high-scoring games, and it's great to see how the women's game is growing in South Africa, with a lot of different girls putting their hands up."
In the Cobras’ Pro50 triumph, the experienced de Klerk scored 101 off 108 deliveries in a mammoth partnership with Faye Tunnicliffe, who recorded a 131-ball 171, as the Western Province outfit amassed 349/4 before restricting the Badgers to 284/9.
"If you come back to domestic cricket, you want to make an impact and you want to contribute. It's obviously been nice to spend a bit of time in the middle and have the opportunity to bat a little bit earlier.
"Just trying to be really positive, take the game on and also try to set a platform."
De Klerk is now looking ahead to the challenge of facing last season’s finalists, the Lions, as the Cobras aim to build on their positive start to the Pro50 campaign and bounce back in the Pro20 competition.
"This weekend, we're coming up against a very good batting unit, very good bowlers and a lot of the national players as well.
"You really want to make a statement that in T20 cricket, you want to be brave and take the game on. Hopefully, we can get to a big score if we bat first and try to defend that, or vice versa.
"It should be a good weekend. Two quality sides coming up against each other. Hopefully, we come out on top."
Over in KwaZulu-Natal, the Warriors will be hoping to finally get their Hollywoodbets Pro Series campaign underway after securing promotion from Division 2. They were forced to watch the first two weeks from the sidelines following washed-out matches against the Lions in Week 1 and a bye last weekend.
Warriors head coach Nkululeko Serame believes the delay has given his side an opportunity to assess their Division 1 opponents ahead of their first outing.
"It gave us an opportunity to see some of the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents and to start planning different tactics as well. I'm an optimist, so that actually was to our benefit. We weren't too worried about it."
The Warriors coach also highlighted the work done behind the scenes to prepare his squad for the step up, including strengthening the playing group and improving their tactical approach.
"The results are a by-product of the processes that we've put in place,” Serame continued.
"I did put in one or two reinforcements, a couple of young players that came from Division 1 and a couple of experienced players. We worked a lot harder on our tactics and game plans, getting them to think more about batting longer innings, but with a really good strike rate."
Ahead of what will hopefully be their first appearance on the field away to the Dolphins, who themselves are in search of their first win of the season, Serame is confident his young Warriors squad will bring an exciting and fearless approach to the competition.
"You can expect to see a team that's quite intelligent but also very courageous. We are very excited to play against the Dolphins.
"I've got some really good, fine young people with good values, so they look forward to being tested and pushed to their limits because they've got big dreams and ambitions. They want big challenges."
Fixtures - Hollywoodbets Pro Series Week 3 (17 - 18 October)
Hollywoodbets Pro50 Series - Saturday, 17 October
Hollywoodbets Dolphins v Warriors (Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, Durban) at 09:30am
DP World Lions v YesPlay Cobras (DP World Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg) at 10am
Hollywoodbets Pro20 Series - Sunday, 18 October
Hollywoodbets Dolphins v Warriors (Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, Durban) at 9:30am
DP World Lions v YesPlay Cobras (DP World Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg) at 09am