TEAM MANAGEMENT – WOMEN

Shaun Pretorius – Teams logistics and High Performance Talent Scout

Hailing originally from George, Western Cape, situated in the picturesque Garden Route, Shaun Pretorius currently serves as the teams logistics and high performance talent scout for the DP World Lions Women. With a coaching philosophy centered around the belief that “hard work surpasses talent if talent fails to exert effort,” Pretorius has infused fresh energy into both the U19 girls’ and Women’s teams, aided by the dedicated support of his collaborators. Boasting two decades of cricketing experience, with a specialized focus on women’s cricket for the past 12 years, Pretorius previously contributed to the Rosemoor Hub in George before assuming the role of women’s coach at South Western District for a two-year tenure. His journey led him to Johannesburg in August 2019, where he continues to make significant strides in the realm of women’s cricket.

Sandile Masengemi – Head Coach

Stepping into Shaun’s shoes will be the previous Assistant Coach of the DP World Lions Ladies, Sandile Masengemi. The 41 year old first fell in love with coaching in 2005 when he was a player coach for the club Stratford Bard. Part of the Pride for 10 years he was Head Coach of the Gauteng U19 Khaya Majola National Week team for three years, claiming the title trophy every year. Adding further firepower to his arsenal was his Head Coach position at the Gauteng Strikers, where he worked with many of our country’s top names today such as Ryan Rickelton.

He has enjoyed multiple CSA Division wins and Runner Up finishes; as well as being the Assistant Coach/Manager for Jozi Stars, Interim Assistant Coach for Lions, and the Central Gauteng Lions Senior Team Head Coach for three years winning the Africa T20 competition.

Taren Naidoo – Strength and Conditioning

Taren Naidoo brings her expertise as the Head strength and conditioning coach to our DP World Lions Women’s team. Some of Taren’s credentials include (but aren’t limited to) a Masters
Degree in Sports Science and is currently completing her Doctorate. She has international experience as a Science Advisor and Sport Scientist in the field of hockey at the highest level.

She has more than 15 years of experience, previously being based in India working for Hockey India and has been to an Olympic Games, receiving a bronze medal from the last commonwealth games in Birmingham.

Dr Dhavina Naidoo – Team Doctor

Dr Dhavina Naidoo completed her MBChB at Walter Sisulu University, successfully completed her MSc(Sports Med) at the University of Pretoria and DMH (CMSA). She has extensive experience in Psychiatry that helps her provide a holistic approach to patients. She is currently the team physician for the DP World Lions Men and Ladies cricket teams. She serves as the Independent Match Day Doctor at the Domestic and international cricket fixtures held at the DP World Wanderers.

She is also the Team Physician for the Junior Springbok Women and acts as Match Day Doctor for many of the rugby matches held at Emirates Airline Park, including International Test matches, URC, EPCR and Currie Cup competitions. She has acted as the World Rugby Appointed Tournament Women’s Teams Doctor for the 2022 and 2023 editions of the HSBC SVNS and as Head Injury Assessment Doctor for World Rugby Challengers and U/20 Rugby Championship.

She is passionate about player welfare and athlete mental health.

Noluthando Mlahleki – Team Manager

Noluthando Mlahleki fulfils dual roles as the Financial Assistant to the Lions Cricket CFO and Logistics Coordinator for the DP World Lions Women’s team. Her educational background includes a BCom in Sports and Recreation Management from NWU. Additionally, she has specialized in Social Media & SEO, as well as Web Design & Development in Digital Marketing through UNICAF (Suffolk University). Noluthando gained practical experience by interning at Lions Cricket immediately after completing her university studies, where she served in the capacity of Club Coordinator with a focus on Club Support from April 2022 to October 2023. This internship paved the way for her current role, where she continues to make valuable contributions to the organization.

Trisha Chetty – Assistant Coach

Trisha Chetty, the Women’s team High Performance Wicketkeeper Coach, boasts an illustrious career with the Proteas Women, making her debut in 2007 and representing the team for an impressive 16 years. Throughout her tenure, Chetty showcased her skills as a wicketkeeper and right-handed batter, amassing 120 limited-overs appearances for South Africa. Upon her retirement in 2023, she continues to hold the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in women’s cricket. Embodying the philosophy that excellence is not merely an act but a habit, Trisha has dedicated herself to the development of the sport. In 2023, she extended her expertise beyond the Proteas, undertaking a mentorship program for the u19 Sri Lankan Cricket Team at the u19 World Cup. Additionally, she served as a mentor and wicketkeeping specialist for the High-Performance Women’s squad, further solidifying her commitment to nurturing talent and fostering excellence within the cricketing community.