In praise of the Proteas Women
THE South African women’s cricket team came agonisingly close to reaching the World Cup final last week. They’ve impressed watchers around the world with their skill and fight, but deciding to pursue a career in the game is not the easiest call to make. It may come down to a decision between the game or a medical degree, or, as in the case of Olympic silver medallist in the javelin Sunette Viljoen, another sport altogether. Zaahier Adams interviews Cricket SA high performance manager Vincent Barnes.
Have the Proteas reached their ceiling or can they improve even more?
The Proteas were listed sixth on the ICC ODI rankings ahead of the World Cup. They reached the semi-finals and pushed a powerhouse like England to the very last over.
“I am putting my head on the block here, this team can improve by at least 30% still,” Barnes boldly stated. “I think they can become a little more streetwise.”
This is not confined strictly to technique, but also mental development. Coach Hilton Moreeng has begun to address this issue, and through the help of SACA (the South African Cricketers Association), a group of psychologists was brought on board to work with players in the build-up to the World Cup.
“There are unique factors in women’s cricket that players are confronted with and it really helped the players to speak to someone about anything that was going on with them. It really allowed players to focus on just playing cricket.”
What has changed behindthe-scenes that has led to this drastic improvement of the Proteas?
In 2014, Cricket SA incorporated the national women’s team into its structures at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria. But what does this actually mean?
“We sat down and identified the key areas of the women’s game that needed to be improved: Fitness, skills, discipline and game awareness,” says Barnes. Coaching staff were assigned to the team, along with a fitness trainer and physio (all on full-time contracts). “I receive their detailed reports immediately after every game,” says Barnes.
But how can the women be expected to train like professionals if they aren’t all professionals?
CSA have awarded 14 women national contracts. They are categorised, in the same manner as their male counterparts, in levels A, B and C.
“Being professional is not only about being paid to play. There is a responsibility that comes with it. It is about arriving at a national camp in the correct physical shape. Taking accountability for actions. Realising that playing for the national team you are a role-model for thousands,” Barnes explained.
So can we expect CSA to hold on to talented cricketers like opening bat Laura Wolvaardt?
The highly-skilled 18-year-old is a Grade 12 learner at Parklands College, with a desire to pursue a career in medicine. In the past, South African women’s cricket has also lost players to other sports codes such as javelin (Olympic silver medallist Sunette Viljoen) and golf (Johmari Logtenberg).
“I’ve sat down with Laura and her parents and we’re working on a compromise. We cannot afford cricketers to drop out of the system,” Barnes said. “A plan is being made where she could possibly take a gap year and then head off to Stellenbosch.”
What structures are there below national team to improve the depth of players? At youth level, women’s cricket is played from Mini-Cricket through to U-19. There is also a national U-19 week, while the 11 affiliates are involved in a senior inter-provincial competition. Besides the national team, there is a SA Emerging Women’s team, which is similar to the men’s SA “A” team. There is also the National Academy.
“The pipeline is crucial to sustainability of the Proteas. Although we are finding lots of girls drop out after mini-cricket, there are discussions being held where we can maintain the interest at that age-level by possibly playing with a softer ball all the way through to U-13,” Barnes said. He also believes “the more women play, the more women will improve”. with Dane van Niekerk’s Proteas having played 33% more ODIs than any other team in the buildup to the World Cup. “We played series against Ireland, Bangladesh, etc … it’s all about providing the girls with the opportunity to play more. Series like those also allow us to test our pool of players.”
National team stars like Van Niekerk, Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus all play in the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia. This supplements their income, but they can also consistently test their abilities against the best players in the world.
CSA, though, need to ensure they do not skip the domestic season because their presence on the circuit is essential in guiding young and upcoming players.