Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced a 26-player squad for the inaugural SA20 U19 Women’s Camp set to take place at the CSA Centre of Excellence between 02 – 05 November in Tshwane in collaboration with South Africa’s premier T20 league.
Aligned with the commitment to furthering the growth of women’s cricket in South Africa and the vision of establishing a women’s SA20 league in the coming years, CSA and the Betway SA20 aim to utilize the Women’s U19 camps to provide a comprehensive training platform for emerging talents.
Building on a historic step made by CSA in joining forces with the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to professionalize senior domestic women’s cricket ahead of the new season, the focus has expanded to broadening the base of young players and constructing a robust depth of talent in the development pipeline.
Commencing in the 2023/24 season, CSA and SA20 will host two U19 training camps (second camp in March 2024) with an envisioned evolution that eventually leads to exhibition matches and ultimately, a fully-fledged women’s league as part of the SA20 competition.
Under the guidance and facilitation of the CSA High-Performance programme and SA U19 and Women’s National Academy head coach Dinesha Devnarain, the emphasis for the camps will go beyond on-field skills, encompassing mental aspects of the game and tactical preparations for future challenges.
Former Australian international, Julia Price will serve as a mentor coach, sharing her extensive experience in global cricket, including the Women’s Big Bash League and the USA.
CSA Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe commented:
“On the back of the major strides made both in women’s youth and senior cricket this year across the country, the SA20 U19 Women’s camp is one of the next pivotal steps to be undertaken in cultivating the future of women’s cricket. By the continued nurturing of U19 talents, we’re not just developing players but also crafting a foundation for the holistic growth of the sport in South Africa.
“The collaborative efforts with SA20 underscore our commitment to expanding the talent pool and setting the stage for a thriving women’s cricket ecosystem in the country to complement the international standard of the Proteas Women..”
SA20 Commissioner, Graeme Smith said:
“One of the stated objectives of SA20 is to work towards hosting a SA20 Women’s event in future seasons. In order to broaden the base of local women’s talent, SA20 started the initiative of hosting a U19 Women’s Camp to upskill the next generation, in collaboration with Cricket South Africa.
“The growth of the women’s game in South Africa has been profound in recent years, highlighted by the Proteas Women’s performance at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and the professionalisation of domestic women’s cricket. With camps like this and the inclusion of experienced international coaches such as Julia Price, the growth of the game will compound.”
SA20 U19 WOMEN’S TRAINING CAMP SQUAD:
Tlotlo Bogatsu (Glencore North West Dragons), Iman Bonnasse (Eastern Province), Jemma Botha* (Western Province), Fay Cowling (DP World Lions), Jae-Leigh Filander (Western Province), Erika Gates (Recon Tactical Free State), Janicke Janse van Rensburg (Fidelity Titans), Alexia Kontopirakis (Western Province), Koketso Lesenyego (Glencore North West Dragons), Simone Lourens* (Fidelity Titans), Jenna-Lee Lubbe (DP World Lions), Mpumelelo Mashiloane (Eastern Storm), Karabo Meso* (DP World Lions), Shelfa Mkhari (Limpopo Impalas), Nomfundo Mthombeni (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Seshnie Naidu* (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Nthabiseng Nini* (Glencore North West Dragons). Leani Swanepoel (DP World Lions), Melissa van der Merwe (Boland), Mia-Lize van der Vyver (Boland), Diedre van Rensburg (Glencore North West Dragons), Mieke van Voorst (Eastern Storm), Ashleigh van Wyk (Eastern Storm), Jane Verhage (Fidelity Titans), Hannah-Leigh Warner (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Sinelethu Yaso (Western Province)
* Represented the SA U19s at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 held in South Africa
