Photo Credit: Cricket South Africa
Momentum Proteas top-order star Laura Wolvaardt continued to shine after the latest week of action in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
The right-hander enjoyed an excellent week in which she struck two near 50s as well as 68 off 50 balls, although two of those matches ended in defeat for her Adelaide Strikers franchise who are stuck in mid-table.
The 21-year-old is second amongst the leading run-scorers with her aggregate of 237 runs seating her second behind Australia international Meg Lanning (248). Her scores from the past week were 68, 46, 3 and 46.
Wolvaardt is amongst eight South African players featuring in the sixth edition of the WBBL, which is being hosted in Sydney this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
After the opening week was ravaged by rain, the weather has improved over the last seven days, with some of the other players in Hilton Moreeng’s side also impressing.
Mignon du Preez recorded a match-winning 61 off 51 balls in one of her games for the Melbourne Stars against Wolvaardt’s Adelaide outfit, while the former SA captain was also instrumental in a second game against the same Strikers where she posted 31. Her other scores this week for the table-topping Stars were 20 and 12.
Shabnim Ismail’s Sydney Thunder are second on the log standings with the fast bowler playing three times and claiming one for 25, none for 21 and a fine two for 13 versus Hobart Hurricanes.
Chloe Tryon, meanwhile, failed to take any wickets in four outings for the Hurricanes, but did blaze a key 36 off 23 balls for the Hurricanes in a nine-run win over Melbourne Renegades.
It was an indifferent week for Lizelle Lee at the Melbourne outfit, but her demotion from opener to the middle-order helped her hit her top score of the tournament in the last match for her side when she hit 38 off 31 balls in a narrow defeat to the Hurricanes00.
Momentum Proteas skipper Dane van Niekerk claimed four wickets, but struggled with the bat for the Sydney Sixers. Her team-mate Marizanne Kapp, on the other hand, found better form in the middle, including an unbeaten 68 off 53 in a 35-run loss to Perth Scorchers.
Finally, Nadine de Klerk enjoyed three outings for Brisbane Heat with a highest score of 32 and best return of one for 17.
The 2020/21 WBBL runs from October 25 to November 29, with Momentum Proteas employed by seven of the eight franchises.
The full list of Moment Proteas at WBBL 2020 are: Dané van Niekerk, Marizanne Kapp (both Sydney Sixers), Shabnim Ismail (Sydney Thunder), Mignon du Preez (Melbourne Stars), Lizelle Lee (Melbourne Renegades), Chloe Tryon (Hobart Hurricanes), Laura Wolvaardt (Adelaide Strikers), Nadine de Klerk (Brisbane Heat).
