Photo Credit: Cricket South Africa
Momentum Proteas youngsters Faye Tunnicliffe and Nondumiso Shangase are both hoping to make their mark for South Africa when they take on Pakistan during their home tour starting in Durban next week.
Hilton Moreeng’s girls will face the Asian side in a three-match One-Day International Series followed by a three-game Twenty20 International sequence, all in BSE (Bio Secure Environment) in the coastal city.
The matches will be the first for the hosts since their exciting performance at last year’s ICC T20 Women’s Cricket World Cup where they were narrowly beaten by hosts Australia in the semi-finals on March 5 at Sydney.
The world has changed since then following the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting no cricket for the rest of 2020, apart from the Women’s Super League (WSL) that was held in Cape Town last month.
Tunnicliffe impressed with the bat and ended as the third-highest run scorer behind established players Sune Luus and Laura Wolvaardt.
She was rewarded for her form by being named in the squad for the tour. Others that made an impact at WSL 3.0 have also earned national call-ups, amongst them being uncapped quartet – Nobulumko Baneti, Evodia Yekile, Jenay Winster and Khayakazi Mathe.
All of them will be bidding to carry their form into the Pakistan series, where they will be aiming to make a big impression.
“Coming into an environment like this is an amazing opportunity to learn,” Western Province batter Tunnicliffe said. “I think now is really a good time for us youngsters to step up and really prove to the older players or the more senior players that once they leave the system then we’ve got their backs and we can sort of fill that gap.
“We really want to just instil that trust within them and I think that is very important for us as youngsters.”
The 22-year-old, who has already earned 11 caps for South Africa in limited-overs cricket, says that the rookies have also been learning from the senior pros in the squad.
“We’re learning from them by just watching and chatting to them here and there, asking them for tips on our own games, whether it’s batting or bowling or even fielding, those small pieces of advice really help.
“There’s been times in the past where I think nerves would sort of get to us, but now is the time to keep our heads strong on our shoulders and really just take the opportunities that we get. We’re looking forward to it.”
Shangase too is looking forward to the opportunity to continue her growth on the biggest stage.
The KwaZulu-Natal spinning all-rounder says the camp in Durban, which began last week, has gone excellently thus far.
“Training from day one until today has been really good,” she said. “The break (that came because of the virus) was really long and now we cannot wait to get going again. We spent enough time at home over the last few months, but now we just want to play.”
The 24-year-old is also trying to remain calm ahead of more possible opportunities to play for the Momentum Proteas during the series.
“I’m just going to try and keep it simple because if we can get the basics right then everything else will fall into place,” she added.
The series begins with 50-over action and the first ODI that takes place next Wednesday. All the matches during the tour will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Momentum Proteas squad for the training camp: Lizelle Lee (North West), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province), Trisha Chetty (KZN Coastal), Mignon du Preez (Northerns), Shabnim Ismail (KZN Coastal), Sune Luus (Northerns), Ayabonga Khaka (Gauteng), Maria Klaas (North West), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province), Tumi Sekhukhune (North West), Sinalo Jafta (Western Province), Lara Goodall (Western Province), Andrie Steyn (Western Province), Robyn Searle (Gauteng), Nonkululeko Mlaba (KZN Coastal), Faye Tunnicliffe (Western Province), Tazmin Brits (North West), Anneke Bosch (North West), Nondumiso Shangase (KZN Coastal), Nobulumko Baneti (Border), Khayakazi Mathe (Border), Evodia Yekile (North West), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Jenay Winster (SWD), Kirstie Thompson (Gauteng)
Full fixture list
ODI
20 Jan 21 – Momentum Proteas v Pakistan Women – Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium (10h00)
23 Jan 21 – Momentum Proteas v Pakistan Women – Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium (10h00)
26 Jan 21 – Momentum Proteas v Pakistan Women – Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium (10h00)
T20I
29 Jan 21 – Momentum Proteas v Pakistan Women – Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium (15h30)
31 Jan 21 – Momentum Proteas v Pakistan Women – Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium (15h30)
03 Feb 21 – Momentum Proteas v Pakistan Women – Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium (15h30)
