Proteas women eager for shift into T20 cricket
T20 series which started on Thursday February 18 at Boland Park Stadium.
The Momentum Proteas women have put their 2-1 One-Day International (ODI) series loss to England behind them and are aiming for success in the T20 series which started on Thursday, February 18, at Boland Park Stadium.
With a little reflection time, captain Mignon du Preez is happy that her team is headed in the right direction after eleven months of no international cricket.
“I think we still have a lot of momentum with us,” she said. “Going from having not beaten England in almost a decade and doing so in the ODI’s was definitely something special. We’ll take a lot from that and it will help us going into the T20s.”
Du Preez is excited for the T20 series to start and believes that most teams will be on par with one another because of the unpredictable nature of the format.
“Anything can happen in a T20 series,” she said, “The odds are almost at the same level so we’re very excited for the series.”
For the first time, the national team has made three changes to the side ahead of the T20 series. Lara Goodall, Yolani Fourie and Moseline Daniels have joined the Proteas camp, with Sinalo Jafta, Andrie Steyn and Laura Wolfvaardt being released back to their provincial sides.
The series will also see the second and third T20s played as televised double-headers with the South Africa and England male counterparts at PPC Newlands and Bidvest Wanderers on Friday 19, and Sunday February 21, respectively.
Coach Hilton Moreeng believes that the televised matches will go a long way in bringing much-needed exposure to the team and the women’s game in general.
“This is a great opportunity for the team,” he said. “It gives the country the opportunity to see what they are capable of and that there are some super stars in the women’s game as well. This will definitely raise the profile of women’s cricket in the country and it will make other youngsters see that this is a career path that they can pursue and become a part of.”
Momentum Proteas T20 squad:
Mignon du Preez (captain, Northerns), Trisha Chetty (Gauteng), Lara Goodall (Western Province ), Moseline Daniels (Boland), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Dane van Niekerk (Eastern Province), Dinesha Devnarain (KZN Coastal), Chloe Tryon (KZN Coastal), Sune Luus (Northerns), Shabnim Ismail (Gauteng), Masabatha Klaas (Free State), Ayabonga Khaka (Border), Matshipi Marcia Letsoalo (Northerns), Lizelle Lee (North West), Yolani Fourie (Gauteng).
