Lions show warrior spirit
Cook, Hendricks and Gqamane lead charge to win
THE LIONS, who are the defending champions in the Momentum One-Day Cup, ended the first weekend of the 2016/17 competition with a comfortable, 44-run win over the Warriors yesterday.
On a weekend of high-scoring, the Lions amassed 329 for seven, thanks in chief to a 178 run partnership between Stephen Cook (81) and Reeza Hendricks (101), which raised hopes of the Lions mounting a truly monstrous total, well in excess of 350.
However, a much improved second half of the innings with the ball saw the visitors at least claw themselves back into some sort of contention, as Aya Gqamane hit his straps in the latter stages.
Temba Bavuma and Nicky van der Bergh both made 30 to lift the Lions beyond 300, setting the Warriors a stiff target.
Though the asking rate was beyond 6.5 runs to the over, the Warriors still fancied themselves.
While Colin Ingram (69),
was at the crease, there was still a chance. Opener Cloete had got the ball rolling with 50, but the Warriors never got the sustained stand that the Lions had in their innings.
Beuran Hendricks, who continued his resurgence back into the mainstream, helped himself to three for 55, to break the back of the Warriors’ challenge.
Hendricks’ victims included the key wicket of Ingram, and that was the beginning of the end for the men from Port Elizabeth. Carmi le Roux , opening the bowling with Hendricks, also impressed with the ball for the champions. It ended a massive weekend of run scoring in the 50 over competition, with the Dolphins stealing the Titans’ thunder on Friday night, on the back of a record-breaking cameo from an inspired Robbie Frylinck. The Knights, fresh off winning the four-day title, were too much for the Cobras, winning with a bonus point to vault to the top of the table. The Lions finished the weekend off with a professional display against the Warriors.
For years I couldn’t understand just why someone like Sir Alex Ferguson continued coaching in spite of his many successes. Even though he was at pensionable age, the former Manchester United coach had won everything there was to win and kept wanting more.
My favourite boxer of all time, Julio Cesar Chaves, fought on until he got beat up by some youngster, tarnishing what was a fantastic record and breaking my heart in the process.
And time and time again, I lamented the decision by a successful sportsman to go on for what I felt was longer than necessary.
My view was always: Get out while you are on a high. Why overstay and run the risk of being brought down to earth by some upstart – ala Muhamad Ali’s defeat to Larry Holmes – I reasoned.
Well, I had not experienced the thrill of sporting success back then.
Not that I have now, at least not in the true sense of the word – like becoming Super Cup champion or undisputed world heavyweight champ.
But in some small way, I am fast beginning to understand why sportsmen and women keep going even when those of us watching from the sidelines feel they’ve achieved enough and should stop.
Sure, for those at the top of their game like Pitso now or Chaves back then, it is about the glory of being champion.
For me, I’m fast discovering it is the desire to do better than the last time.
It all started out as a favour for a friend – an invitation to come race the Discovery Duathlon back in 2015 just to show that “black people are also into multisports”. STROKEPLAY: Stephen Cook of the Highveld Lions takes on the Warriors in yesterday’s Momentum One Day Cup encounter.