Yolanda the golden indoor cricketing girl

RICHARDS Bay’s Yolanda Cornelius arrived back on South African soil with a gold medal in her suitcase, earned after the SA women’s over 35 action cricket team beat Australia by 8 runs in the Indoor Cricket Master World Series finals played in Birmingham, England.

The financial property consultant at Mortgage Max played five matches in the series, taking eight wickets and making 60 runs.

She ended the series off with a batting average of 10.8 and a bowling average of 1.60.

‘I am so excited to have finally won gold at the World Series, as I have represented South Africa three times before and only managed a silver medal back in 2013, when we went down to the Aussies in the finals played at Fourways arena.’

Yolanda started playing action cricket in 2006 after playing many backyard cricket games with her brother while growing up.

Since then she has played for KZN North and SA over 30 teams in 2009, 2012 and 2013 and the SA women’s over 35 team this year.

The fast bowler/batsman achieved the following at national level – played nine games on an inland tour in 2009, won four out of five tests against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka and picked up three Player of the Match awards and the Player of the Final award in 2012, and won silver at the indoor cricket Masters in 2013.

Whilst playing action cricket, Yolanda trained three times a week for one hour per session, over and above all the training camps she attended.

‘My preparations for this series was intense, which contributed to the success that we achieved. But I am excited to say that I am officially retiring from the game on all levels.’

Yolanda will be shifting her focus to achieving personal goals at work and helping her two children Anzel and Jodi achieve their goals.

She will also play more golf and hockey in her spare time.

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