Johannesburg – 17 February 2026:
The experienced Sunette Viljoen-Louw provided an education for her team-mates on how to bat on a slow pitch as her unbeaten half-century took the DP World Lions ladies team to a thrilling T20 victory over the Garden Route Badgers on Sunday, completing a successful double-win weekend at Dobsonville Oval.
Viljoen-Louw’s tenacious, highly-composed 53 not out off 48 balls rescued our DP World Lions from a deeply-troubled 17 for four and steered them to a four-wicket win with two balls to spare in the T20 match, while she also shone in the Pro50 game the previous day, scoring 33, which was the second-highest score in a total of 184 for nine.
The slowness of the Dobsonville Oval pitch and the lush outfield made batting tricky, but Viljoen-Louw brought urgency, brilliant running between the wickets and a risk-free approach which showed the way for her team-mates.
The 42-year-old Viljoen-Louw lifted the DP World Lions from a bad powerplay in which they could only score 19 runs in the first six overs and lost four wickets, forming key partnerships of 44 for the fifth wicket with Raisibe Ntozakhe (8) and 23 for the sixth wicket with Fay Cowling (7).
When Cowling was caught in the deep, #ThePrideOfJozi still needed 11 runs off nine balls to win as the team from South-Western Districts fought hard at the death. Kgomotso Rapoo scored six not out off just three balls though to clinch the victory, clipping a low, dipping full toss to the midwicket boundary for four to finish the exciting match.
Rapoo, the Pro50 captain, took the lead with the ball as her outstanding figures of one for 15 in four overs helped restrict the Badgers to 94 for five in their 20 overs, after the visitors had won the toss and elected to bat first.
Her excellent spell of off-spin, starting in the powerplay, built on an outstanding new-ball effort by left-armer Relebohile Mkhize, who conceded just seven runs in her first three overs and then returned at the death to bowl top-scorer Izel Cilliers for 38, to finish with brilliant figures of 4-1-12-1.
Sarah Nettleton and Ntozakhe, #ThePrideOfJozi’s other spinners, also did excellent jobs.
Nettleton bowled two overs in the powerplay and took the opening wicket, finishing with one for 26 in four overs, while Ntozakhe was brilliant in the middle overs, taking two for 15 in her four overs.
Our DP World Lions continue to chase the Western Province side with great determination in the T20 campaign, and next weekend’s match in Cape Town will be decisive in terms of who hosts the final, with the gap in the standings being five points.
Sandile Masengemi’s team are also second in the 50-over competition, just two points now behind the Dolphins, who have played an extra game, following our DP World Lions’ bonus point victory over SWD on Saturday.
Sent into bat, the home side knew they could not be too dashing given the conditions, and Razeena Manack (34) and Jenna Evans (27) set about building a solid platform with their third-wicket stand of 56.
Viljoen-Louw’s 33 then ushered the DP World Lions through their 50 overs, with Nettleton showing her ability in the batting department with 21 off 31 deliveries, helping to add an important 47 runs for the eighth wicket which took the total to 184 for nine.
Striking with the new ball is Tumi Sekhukhune’s special area of expertise and the Proteas star was superb as she removed both Badgers openers in the first five overs.
Nettleton also turned her arm over with the new ball and, after a rain delay with SWD on 12 for two after eight overs, she returned to remove No.3 batter Mi-Jeanne Botha for 25, smartly stumped by Manack.
Sekhukhune, named player of the match for her brilliant figures of 5-2-7-3, and Nettleton, who took one for 14 in her five overs, were the standout bowlers in a DP World Lions bowling effort that was a bit of an education, too, for the visiting attack, who conceded 36 extras, including 31 wides.
Seamers Cowling and Lehlohonolo Meso were also excellent with the ball as the Badgers could only struggle to 99 for six in their 27 overs, well short of their revised target of 142.