02 Apr Brits And Proteas Women Set Sights On T20I Series Victory
BENONI: Top-order batter Tazmin Brits believes that continuing the momentum gained in the opening encounter and sealing the series win will be the focus for the Proteas Women in the second T20 International (T20I) against Sri Lanka, with the home side holding a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The second T20I will be held on Saturday, 30 March, at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom, starting at 14h00. Tickets are available via TicketPro and the match will be broadcast live on SuperSport Grandstand (Channel 201).
During the pre-match press conference on Friday, Brits highlighted the importance of sealing the T20I series with a game to spare, following the series-opening triumph, and with the backdrop of preparing for the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh between September and October.
“Momentum is always good, and with the World Cup coming up in September, it’ll be very good for us if we can maybe do a 3-0 win. If we can look at doing that, that’ll be great for the team.
“We seemed to be losing the first T20I or the first game of every series that we’ve played, so that was one of the things we wanted to correct. That was also with (different) combinations and getting to those points that we were setting, like the powerplay and everything. It was great,” she added.
In the first contest in Benoni, the Proteas Women posted 198/5, their second-highest total in the shortest format, with captain Laura Wolvaardt notching up her maiden and only South Africa’s third T20I century, worth 102 off 63 balls (12 fours, 3 sixes), alongside Marizanne Kapp’s 40-ball 60 (4 fours, 3 sixes).
After contributing an aggressive 15 off eight balls, Brits witnessed the impressive 116-run partnership between Wolvaardt and Kapp which anchored the Proteas innings.
“We’ve always looked at, you have to have your in batters (in the end), so that was a big thing for us. Wolvaardt scoring that 100, that will get you to the 200s at the end of the day so they’re very confident, and they’re looking forward to tomorrow’s game.
The second game is not only an opportunity for the Proteas to take an unassailable lead in the series, but it will also be a memorable occasion for the Klerksdorp-born batter as she is set to earn her 50th T20I cap for South Africa.
Alll-rounder Nadine de Klerk is also one cap away from a half-century of appearances in T20I cricket.
When asked about the special day, the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers star said: “Firstly, I’m hoping I play tomorrow but I’m very happy that if I do, my 50th game is here in Potch; my home crowd with my mom and I’ve got a lot of family members also coming. Hopefully not just that, but scoring a 50 will be great as well.
“I never looked that far, I didn’t think this day would come, but with it being here I’m more excited. I’m hoping I can get a 50th cap in ODIs, I’m a bit behind on that, but hopefully, I can do that before I retire.
“My (career) highlight will be the semi-finals in the (T20) World Cup, I don’t know if I can ever match that, maybe if I can be a player of the match in a World Cup final then it will probably beat that, but that was by far – just talking about it I get goosebumps and I relive that entire moment – so hopefully in September I can redo that, but maybe in a final,” she concluded.
Audio and video featuring pre-match press conferences with Proteas Women’s Tazmin Brits and Sri Lanka’s Vishmi Gunaratne may be downloaded here.
Proteas Women Squad (T20I Only) – Inbound Tour against Sri Lanka
Laura Wolvaardt (Fidelity Titans, Captain), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Nadine de Klerk (World Sports Betting Western Province), Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (World Sports Betting Western Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Karabo Meso* (DP World Lions), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions)
Uncapped*
Results:
T20 International Series
1st T20I
South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 79 runs
South Africa: 198/5 after 20 overs; L. Wolvaardt 102 (63), M. Kapp 60 (40); A. Kulasuriya 2/39, I. Priyadharshani 1/25
Sri Lanka: 119 all out after 18.2 overs; H. Samarawickrama 38 (33), H. Perera 30 (18); A. Dercksen 2/15, T. Sekhukhune 2/25
Fixtures – South Africa Inbound Tour vs Sri Lanka 2023/24
T20 International Series:
Saturday, 30 March @ 14h00
2nd T20I – South Africa vs Sri Lanka (JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom)
Wednesday, 03 April @ 18h00
3rd T20I – South Africa vs Sri Lanka (Buffalo Park, East London)
50-over Warm-Up Match:
Saturday, 06 April @ 10h00
South Africa XI vs Sri Lanka XI (Buffalo Park, East London)
One-Day International Series – ICC Women’s Championship:
Tuesday, 09 April @ 14h00
1st ODI – South Africa vs Sri Lanka (Buffalo Park, East London)
Saturday, 13 April @ 14h00
2nd ODI – South Africa vs Sri Lanka (Diamond Oval, Kimberley)
Wednesday, 17 April @ 14h00
3rd ODI – South Africa vs Sri Lanka (JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom)
For media inquiries, please contact:
Lita Gqirana – Proteas Women Media Specialist
Cell.: (+27) 76 503 9655
Email: litag@cricket.co.za
ENDS
Issued by: Cricket South Africa – Corporate Communications
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