The Proteas women will get a golden chance to back up their successive World Cup finals in the upcoming T20 series against England. The first of three T20 matches will be played at Buffalo Park in East London tomorrow (2pm start)
South Africa have made great strides in the past two years, and they came within two finals to finally capture the elusive ICC tournament that has left so much to be desired in South African cricket.
England, on the other hand, won the tournament back in 2009, and they have been runners-up on three occasions. They are currently ranked second in the world behind six-time champions Australia.
The three-match series could be a good opportunity for Laura Wolvaardt and her chargers to carry the momentum from the Word Cup and improve on their average record in bilateral series.
Their 2-1 win against Pakistan Women before the World Cup was their first series win in seven attempts, and after having lost 3-0 the last time they clashed against England in this format, the three matches will offer them a chance to secure their first ever T20 series win against the visitors.
Former South African captain Sune Luus described their recent achievements as special, and despite not being able to go all the way, she expects their knowledge of home conditions to come in handy for them when they turn their attention to the visitors.
“It was a great World Cup for us; I think the back-to-back finals are something special. We had a bit of time off, just to reflect on everything, and obviously it can't change the past,” Luus said while addressing the media.
“The last couple of weeks have just been about grinding hard; it’s going to be a tough series, and England is a very good side.
“England always bring their A-game; they always play good cricket, so it’s always going to be a tough challenge playing against them. Luckily, it’s in South Africa, and we know the conditions; we have a strong side as well; we won't go down without a fight; both teams are here to play good cricket.”
There were returns to the squad for Nondumiso Shangase and Faye Tunnicliffe, while young right-arm medium bowler Ayanda Hlubi will get yet another opportunity to learn with the next World Cup in just less than two years.
Luus continued to say she was excited to have the youngsters in the team and the energy they bring with them.
“Its always exciting having new players come into the squad. When you first start out, you always have something you want to prove; you want to have that good performance under your belt,” said Luus.
“There is a lot of energy and a good vibe around them; they love being here and playing cricket. It’s very exciting to see them in the squad, and I’m just excited to see what they bring to the field.”
The T20 series will be followed by three One Day Internationals and a one-off Test match in December.