Tazmin Brits: ‘You dream of these moments’ as Proteas reach World Cup final

A sparkling player of the match performance from Tazmin Brits helped the Proteas clinch a thrilling six run win over England in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semifinal clash at a bouncing Newlands in Cape Town on Friday afternoon.

It was a history making performance for the Proteas as they now go on to a first ever World Cup final where they will face tournament favourites and defending champs Australia, who comfortably beat them in the pool stage last weekend.

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But for now the Proteas will be revelling in a superb showing, with Brits the star of the piece after she scored 68 off 55 balls (6×4; 2×6) to help the Proteas post 164/4 batting first, and was then outstanding in the field, taking four catches, including a catch of the tournament contender.

Crowd

“As a cricketer you dream of these moments, to turn up when you’re needed the most. I want to say thank you very much to the crowd. They really got behind us and without them this wouldn’t have been possible.

“It’s nice to have your own home crowd behind you instead of being in another country,” said an ecstatic Brits after the match.

“We needed to accelerate a bit more in the powerplay, which we tried to do against England. I still battled a bit in the beginning, but as soon as I got used to the pitch I started going a bit better.

“We had this conversation (before the match) and said that 140 is the minimum and 160 is what we are looking at. I actually wrote that down and said that’s what I am going to go for and I am glad the team could support that and get us to 164.”

Fantastic opening stand

It was a fantastic 96-run opening stand between Brits and Laura Wolvaardt, who struck 53 off 44 balls (5×4; 1×6), that set the platform, while Marizanne Kapp then played the finishing role with an unbeaten 27 off 13 balls (4×4) to boost the Proteas to their score.

England then got off to a flyer, smashing 53 runs off the first five overs, and then were on 131/3 after 16 overs, with two set batters at the crease and needing just 34 off 24 balls to win.

But brilliant fielding from Brits, couple with superb bowling from Ayabonga Khaka, 4/29, and Shabnim Ismail, 3/27, helped the Proteas pull it through in the end.

“Well played England. It was a great match. We were out of it, then back in, then out and in, it just went in waves. But I guess we do have the best bowling attack in the world and it was against the best batting attack in the world,” said Proteas captain Sune Luus.

“We just kept saying to them (Brits and Wolvaardt) they need to be brave. Just play free cricket and back themselves, and that’s what they did perfectly today. They made us extremely proud and that gave us the platform for Marizanne and everyone coming in afterwards to keep going.

“She (Khaka) is a phenomenal bowler, one of the best in the world and she just showed her class once again today.”

Looking at the final Luus is hoping to make more history as the Proteas attempt to beat Australia for the first time in T20 cricket and win their first ever world cup.

“It’s massive. Every game we play we keep making history and we keep inspiring a nation. I hope this is a turning point, not just for women’s cricket, but women’s sport in general in South Africa and with one game to go we want to keep doing that,” said Luus.