Chasing championship points, Proteas women aim to hit back against England

Picking themselves up after a 3-0 defeat to England in the T20 series last week, Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt says the national women’s team are hungry to hit back against the tourists in the three-match ODI series starting in Kimberley on Wednesday.

Lying fourth in the ICC Women’s Championship (with the top six teams qualifying for next year’s World Cup) Wolvaardt said there was extra motivation to win this series with valuable points on the line.

The SA side have won only two of their nine ODI matches this year, but they reached the semifinals of the last two editions of the 50-over World Cup, and the skipper said they were confident of putting up a fight against four-time world champions England.

“This is a big series for us. Every game counts in the championship and we want to end as high as we can on the log,” the skipper said yesterday.

“Obviously we’ll be wanting to get a win, and I think we disappointed ourselves a little in the T20 series, and we’re looking forward to bouncing back in this one.”

Senior players returning

Desperate to silence the tourists, the Proteas were pleased to have welcomed the return of some senior players to the squad, after younger players were given opportunities in the T20 International series.

The likes of all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, seam bowlers Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klaas, as well as wicketkeeper Mieke de Ridder, were all rested for the T20 series, but they have linked up with the squad for the ODI campaign.

“The mood is good and we’ve had a couple of fresh faces join us… and it’s a new location and a new format,” Wolvaardt said.

“I think this is a format that we feel we’re pretty good at as a side, and we’ve had some successes in the past.

“We’ve had a few good days of preparation adjusting to 50-over cricket and we’re keen to have a good start.”

After Wednesday’s match in Kimberley, starting at 2pm, the Proteas women will face England in Durban on Sunday and in Potchefstroom next week.