Lizelle Lee's presence beefs up North West squad

North West Cricket announced their senior women's team for the 2020-21 season on Friday (May 8). The team, who defended their one-day title in 2019-20 after the season was abruptly cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, largely remains the same from last year.



South Africa international Lizelle Lee is the biggest name in the mix and will be expected to play a lead role in the team's performances. The right-hander, who played a key role in South Africa's run to the semi-final of the T20 World Cup - also scoring her maiden T20I century during the tournament - is the most experienced member of the squad.



In the batting unit, she also has the support of fellow internationals Anneke Bosch and Tasmin Brits who enjoyed prolific seasons in 2019-20.



While Bosch topped the run-charts in the one-day competition, scoring 396 runs at an average of 66 in eight matches, Brits came a close second with 347 runs to get tally at 43.37. In the T20 competition, the pair exchanged places, Brits finishing with a massive 369 runs in nine matches, including a century and two fifties, and Bosch with 204 runs at second place.



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With the ball, the pace duo of Tumi Sekhukhune and Masabata Klaas will be expected to carry much of the load. The pair were both part of the South African squad for the recently concluded ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia.



They will have the assistance of allrounder Delmi Tucker who topped the wicket-charts in the 2019-20 one-day tournaments with 16 scalps to her credit. Tucker also had a promising season with the bat, collecting a total of 405 runs across formats, to finish as North West's third highest run-getter.



Squad: Alyssa Erxleben, Anneke Bosch, Biance Botha, Delmi Tucker, Esmaralda Olivier, Evodia Yekile, Izel Cilliers, Jamie de Vos, Kgothatso Molefe, Koketso Lesenyego, Lizelle Lee, Lizri de Villiers, Masabata Klaas, Mosa Machotlo, Nthabiseng Nini, Sonique Bronkhurst, Tanja Cronje, Tasmin Brits, Tokelo Mosala, Tshegofatso Molefe, Tshegofatso Rampai, Tumi Sekhukhune.