Allan Donald urges DP World Lions to maintain standards after mixed campaign

Allan Donald says the DP World Lions must retain their hunger and continue raising their standards after a domestic season that brought one major trophy but ended in disappointment in another final.

The Johannesburg franchise won the CSA 4-Day Series last season before losing the One Day Cup final to the Titans. Their campaign in the T20 Challenge was less convincing, but Donald believes there is no reason for the Lions to dwell on what they failed to achieve.

Instead, the former Proteas fast bowler wants the squad to focus on making further improvements as the new domestic season approaches.

“Look, uhm, all I can say is that we work tirelessly on our standard. We are very lucky we’ve got the depth that we’ve got at the DP World Lions. You sit every season and think, what can I do better, what are the things that we need to focus on to make us an even better side, but the rest of the country have gotten you fair and square in the crosshairs,” said Donald.

The Lions would have preferred to complete a clean sweep of the major domestic trophies, but Donald says their overall record gives them little cause for complaint.

Their defeat by their cross-Jukskei rivals, the Titans, was particularly painful because the closely fought final could have gone either way. Donald believes the narrow loss should not overshadow the progress made by the team.

He also rejected the idea that the T20 Challenge represents an unresolved problem for the Lions or has become a burden for the squad.

Donald’s work alongside head coach Russell Domingo has been another important factor in the franchise’s success. The pair previously worked together in the Proteas set-up, and Donald says that established relationship has helped create a positive environment within the Lions.

According to Donald, Domingo has a particular ability to help players feel relaxed and valued. That comfort, he believes, allows individuals to perform at their best and contributes to the team’s consistency across competitions.

The Lions will also enter a revised domestic landscape this season after Cricket SA announced a major change to the country’s T20 competitions.

Division 1’s T20 Challenge and Division 2’s T20 Knockout have been combined and will now be played under the name Pro20 Cup. Donald welcomed the move, describing the new competition as an effective opportunity to discover and assess emerging talent.

While the Lions’ recent results have shown both their strength and areas for improvement, Donald’s message is clear: the team must keep working, remain ambitious and avoid becoming satisfied with last season’s success. Their CSA 4-Day Series triumph provides a strong platform, while the One Day Cup final defeat and their less impressive T20 Challenge campaign offer reminders of the margins separating domestic contenders.