Photo Credit: Cricket Ireland
As the Momentum Proteas turn their attention to the three-match T20 International series (T20I) against England, captain Suné Luus believes her side will head into the shorter format with renewed impetus and optimism ahead of the first T20I taking place in Chelmsford on Thursday.
The first clash, which will be hosted at the County Ground in the country town of Essex, gets underway from 19h00 local time (20h00 SAST) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport Grandstand and Cricket.
Following an underwhelming result in the One-Day International (ODI) series against England, where the hosts claimed a 3-0 series triumph over South Africa, the Proteas Women captain is eager for her team to put that result behind them and go into the thrill-a-minute format with a positive outlook.
“It was obviously not a great ODI series for us,” Luus began.
“But we had a travel day and a off day yesterday, just some time to refresh and to kick off the T20I series, and we just had a good training session.
“The talks are just to stay positive. We are going into a new series now, whatever happened in the ODI series we can just leave it there and start fresh for the T20I series, with a positive mindset and just know that we still have a couple of games left before heading into the Commonwealth Games,” she continued.
With the Commonwealth Games’ T20 tournament, which commences from 29 July – 07 August, just under two weeks away, the Proteas will be looking to improve their T20I record, not only their fifth-place ICC T20I Ranking, but also the record against the same opponents they will also be facing in Group B in Birmingham.
South Africa have managed three wins in 19 encounters in the format against the second-ranked English side, with head coach Hilton Moreeng’s charges tasting victory in the last match the two sides faced off in at the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup in Australia.
Since reaching the semi-finals at the that World Cup, the Proteas Women have featured in three T20I series victories against Pakistan, India and most recently over Ireland in June this year where South Africa came from behind to clinch the three-match contest 2-1.
With the Commonwealth Games fast approaching as well as the remaining challenge of equalizing the ongoing multi-format tour against England, who currently lead by eight points to two after the ODI success and the drawn Test match, South Africa go into the three T20Is with a lot to play for.
“We are still staying (focused) in the multi-format series, it would be great to level the series now with England but we are obviously still thinking ahead to the Commonwealth Games; trying options and just trying to get our best eleven on the day for the Commonwealth,” Luus noted.
“We are keeping in mind a bit of both but also just taking it one game at a time,” the skipper added.
After being on the road since leaving South Africa on 29 May, another exciting element for the players as they go into the last leg of the tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland will be the recall of the vastly knowledgeable and accomplished duo of Masabata Klaas and Mignon du Preez.
The pair were brought in for the remainder of the ODI series and the start of the preparations for the T20Is and the Commonwealth Games after recovering from injury in Klaas’ case while du Preez returns to the fold following her retirement from the longer formats.
On their returns, Luus commented:
“Yes, it’s always nice having Masabata and Mignon back. They are experienced campaigners and obviously have a lot of energy, having not been here and being away from home for so long, so we enjoy the energy they bring and the positivity as well.
“We are very excited to take to the field with them in the T20Is,” she concluded.
Momentum Proteas Squad for England Tour – T20Is:
Anneke Bosch (Senwes Dragons), Trisha Chetty (Hollywoodbets KZN Coastal), Nadine de Klerk (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Lara Goodall (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Shabnim Ismail (Hollywoodbets KZN Coastal), Sinalo Jafta (Six Gun Grill Western Province) Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Masabata Klaas (Senwes Dragons), Ayabonga Khaka (Imperial Lions), Suné Luus (Titans Ladies), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets KZN Coastal), Tumi Sekhukhune (Imperial Lions), Andrie Steyn (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Chloé Tryon (Hollywoodbets KZN Coastal), Delmi Tucker (Six Gun Grill Western Province) Laura Wolvaardt (Six Gun Grill Western Province)
Momentum Proteas Tour to England Itinerary:
T20 Series –
Thursday, 21 July @ 19h00 local time – 1st T20 – England vs South Africa (The Cloudfm County Ground, Chelmsford)
Saturday, 23 July @ 14h30 local time – 2nd T20 – England vs South Africa (Blackfinch New Road, Worcester)
Monday, 25 July @ 18h30 local time – 3rd T20 – England vs South Africa (The Incora County Ground, Derby)
