Lions pleased with current cricket campaign

Joint 2020/21 Momentum One Day Cup Champions, the Imperial Lions, are extremely pleased with their cricket campaign, noting that despite the Covid-19 challenges the team remains solid, eager and ever-improving.

With multiple players on national duty (11 players), the side’s depth was tested, with many new talent being given their chance and grabbing them favourably. The Imperial Lions reached the final having amassed 14 points from their four matches with three no-results due to rain.

Imperial Lions CEO Jono Leaf-Wright is both passionate and determined when speaking about the franchise’s drive to develop the strong pipeline of cricketing talent within Central Gauteng and North West.

“One of our primary goals is to grow the game and those involved within our respective regions, so it gives us all great pride to see our first team deal with the challenges and embrace the circumstances, albeit ever so different.

“There’s no doubt that we’ve missed our much-valued match-day fans at Imperial Wanderers Stadium and, in fact, nationwide. Having said that though, I am pleased that we continue to live up to our summer campaign of creating a passion for the game due largely to the cracking cricketing on-field action.

“Off-field, we continue to lend a hand on socio-economic challenges under our banner: #ENDFEMICIDENOW. Our Momentum One-Day Cup championship status has further ignited the fire in our bellies. Not only to win on the field but to further educate our country on gender-based violence.”

The Imperial Lions now turn their focus to the compacted Cricket South Africa (CSA) T20 Challenge to be held in Durban from February 19 to 28, as well as the last rounds of the CSA Domestic 4-Day Series.

“We are excited for the CSA T20 coming up and call on all our fans to support the Imperial Lions in our quest to become champions in 2021,” said Leaf-Wright.

The fixtures are:

• February 20 at 10am: Imperial Lions vs Warriors, at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban

• February 22 at 2.30pm: Momentum Multiply Titans vs Imperial Lions, at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban

• February 23 at 2.30pm: Imperial Lions vs VKB Knights, at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban

• February 24 at 2.30pm: Hollywoodbets Dolphins vs Imperial Lions, at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban

• February 26 10am: Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras vs Imperial Lions, at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban

• February 27 at 2.30pm: Play-off match second vs third, at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban

• February 28 at 3pm: Final – one vs winner of two vs three, at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban