Double-winning Lions with big ambitions

Central Gauteng Lions batsman Reeza Hendricks believes the high standards they have set themselves have resulted in an "incredible season".

The Lions beat Western Province in the 4-Day Series final and the KZN Dolphins in the T20 Challenge decider - both at the Wanderers - to win two of the three titles on offer in the 2023-24 domestic season.

Hendricks, who scored 73* in the T20 final, said he couldn't have been happier with the way the team performed in all competitions.

Hendricks says one of the key factors in their T20 success was finishing top of the eight-team log to secure home play-off matches.

After winning 10 of their 14 league matches, the Lions defeated the Northerns Titans by eight wickets in the semi-finals before beating the Dolphins by seven wickets in the final.

In that final, the Lions elected to field after winning the toss and the Dolphins posted a competitive 165-8 from their 20 overs.

Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, and Temba Bavuma all fell cheaply for the Lions before the 35-year-old Hendricks put on a match-winning fourth-wicket partnership of 85 runs with all-rounder Wiaan Mulder.

Hendricks said it was in situations like that that home advantage made all the difference.

Hendricks ended up scoring a total of 440 runs for the Lions in the T20 Challenge and was named in the 15-man Proteas squad for next month's T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.