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Warriors Must Beware of Hungry Lions

Thursday, 11 March 2010

THERE is no such thing as a reliable indicator as to what might happen in a 20 overs match; let alone when it is the final of the Standard Bank Domestic Pro20.

There have been three finals since the launch of the Champions’ League which is the ultimate pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for both franchises and players and all six franchises have reached one of those finals.

That shows just how fleeting Pro20 form can be. Friday’s final at Axxess DSL St. George’s features the Chevrolet Warriors against the bizhub Highveld Lions and the only pointer to the likely outcome that is of any value is the league match (a home outing for the Lions) that the Warriors won by five wickets but with only one ball to spare.

Vaughn van Jaarsveld showed the form that has earned him international recognition with the Proteas to set up the Lions total with a blistering innings of 72 off 51 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes. The only problem was that another left-hander who is surely destined to wear Proteas’ colours as well, Colin Ingram, trumped him on the night.Ingram went one better than Van Jaarsveld by smashing 82 off 52 balls with 7 fours and 4 sixes.

The Warriors can also point to the fact that they have benefited more than the Lions with the return of nationally contracted players of the calibre of Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Wayne Parnell among others.

But the Lions are not likely to take much notice of that. The Nashua Titans also pitched up for their semi-final second leg with a host of returning Proteas on their home ground but for the Lions it was business as usual as they swept into the final in convincing style.

The Lions do have their share of experienced players in the likes of Neil McKenzie, Alviro Petersen, captain Thami Tsolekile and Zander de Bruyn but they are by and large a young team who are hungry for success and have the freedom to play without fear of failure.

They remind one of the Free State team that won its first major knock-out trophy in 1989 by defying all the odds to dethrone Western Province at Sahara Park Newlands. It was the start of a new era in South African domestic cricket.

The Lions have the chance to do the same. They have never been short of talent and South African cricket needs them to become a major player again.

The Warriors will start as favourites – and with good cause – but they will not need to be told that they are in for a very tough fight.