Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Keanan Hemmonsbey
Published on 2024-02-23 11:54:21
The Proteas women’s cricket team suffered a setback when they lost a one-off Test match to Australia by a margin of 284 runs. This was a dip in form after they had achieved historic victories against the same opponent in white-ball cricket. Their star player, Marizanne Kapp, was absent from the Test match due to illness, and it was evident that her absence had a significant impact on the team’s performance. At 34, Kapp’s future with the national side is uncertain, given the toll that 15 years of international cricket could take on her body as a seam-bowling all-rounder.
The team’s management has already been managing Kapp’s workload. During the recent series against Australia, she bowled only five overs in an ODI match, and she also missed some of the training sessions leading up to the Test match. Kapp’s new-ball bowling partner, Ayabonga Khaka, also experienced a decline in form and chose not to take part in red-ball cricket.
The Proteas women’s team has seen the retirement of several key players in the last 18 months, leaving a leadership vacuum that needs to be filled by upcoming players. However, there were some positives as the young guns, led by 24-year-old Laura Wolvaardt, achieved milestones by beating Australia in the limited-overs format.
Coach Hilton Moreeng acknowledged the team’s fighting spirit and expressed optimism about the future. Despite Kapp’s absence, the team managed to secure victories against Australia in a T20I and an ODI. However, outside of these matches, the team struggled, heavily relying on individual performances, particularly by Kapp.
Kapp’s exceptional performances in the limited-overs series highlighted her importance to the team. She scored 221 runs at an average of 44.2 and also took six wickets in the white-ball series. The team’s overreliance on her was evident, as no other South African batter outside of Kapp managed to score more than 50 runs in the ODIs. When Kapp was ruled out of the Test match, it was evident that South Africa’s batting line-up was weakened.
In the Test match against Australia, the Proteas women were outplayed and bowled out for only 76 runs in their first innings. It was clear that they lacked the experience and depth to compete in the longer format, especially when their senior players were absent.
However, the retirements of key players and the struggles of experienced players like Khaka have provided opportunities for young talents like Eliz-Mari Marx and Ayanda Hlubi to showcase their potential. These players have shown the temperament and skills required to succeed at the international level.
The development of a professional women’s domestic league in South Africa has provided a platform for young players to gain exposure to high-level cricket and serves as a stepping stone to the national team. The overall hope is that the void left by the departing stars will be filled by the emerging talents, ensuring that the progress made in women’s cricket in South Africa will not be stunted.
Read the original article on Daily Maverick
