Warriors Women spin bowler Aphilile Adonisi says that her team intends to compete in the Hollywoodbets Pro Series following their promotion from Division 2 last season, insisting they will not simply be making up the numbers in the 2026/27 campaign.
Adonisi was named Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) Women’s Provincial Player of the Year at this year’s CSA Pathway Awards, following a standout season in which she played a key role in helping her side secure promotion to the top division.
She claimed a division-leading 23 wickets across the 2025/26 campaign, helping the Warriors win all their 50-over matches with bonus points.
“Being promoted to Division 1 was a great achievement for us, but I understand that this is a new challenge and the level of competition will be high. I personally feel that just participating is not enough because we want to compete and learn from every game. I want to show what I am capable of whenever I have the ball in my hand,” said Adonisi.
Having been nominated for the award in 2025 before claiming the top honour this year, Adonisi’s achievement reflects the consistency she has demonstrated over several seasons.
“The award has shaped me into a better player and given me the thought that one day I could represent my country and wear the badge of South Africa. I’m willing to do more now that I’ve been given the opportunity to play in Division 1. I want to show what I can do,” she said.
'EXPECT A HUNGRY TEAM'
The Warriors will begin their Hollywoodbets Pro50 campaign on Saturday against DP World Lions Women at Dafabet St George’s Park in Gqeberha, with Adonisi backing her side to make a strong statement in their return to Division 1.
“Expect a hungry team that is determined and ready to compete,” she declared.
“Our main goal is to compete consistently throughout the season and establish ourselves in Division 1 because we know it’s going to be a challenging campaign. We have focused on building consistency, improving ourselves and understanding our roles within the team. Lastly, we are excited to finally get started and put all the hard work from our preparations into action,” concluded Adonisi.
Two other fixtures are scheduled for the opening day of the Hollywoodbets Pro50.
The YesPlay Cobras Women will take on the Garden Route Badgers Women in Cape Town, while the Fidelity Titans Women host the Hollywoodbets Dolphins Women in Pretoria.