Proteas Women’s squad named for Aussie tour
The Proteas Women will be looking to create a bit of history after Cricket SA announced the 15-player squad for the white-ball leg of the multi-format tour against Australia starting on January 27.
Leading the team on the trip Down Under will be Laura Wolvaardt, who will be joined by a well-balanced group that includes fellow Women’s Big Bash League stars Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon.
Earning her maiden OneDay International (ODI) call-up for SA is Dolphins fast bowler Ayanda Hlubi, who made her senior debut in the third T20*
International against Bangladesh in December.
The sides will also contest their first-ever Test from February 15-18 at the Waca in Perth.
The squad set to feature in that match will be confirmed during the ODI series.
In search of their first win against Australia across all formats, the Proteas Women will have their work cut out against one of the powerhouses of the international women’s game.
They go into the encounters with a head-to-head record including 14 defeats in 15 onedayers, with their best result coming in a tied match in the fourth ODI in November 2016.
In the shorter format, the
Australians have seven wins in their previous seven encounters against SA, including their historic ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final triumph in Cape Town in February 2023.
Proteas Women’s head coach Hilton Moreeng, who has had his national contract extended until the end of the 2023/2024 season, feels he has a balanced squad.
“It’s a very competitive squad. It is a mixture of youngsters and experience, and everyone is looking forward to it.
“It was a very good year for us as a team in 2023, so we look forward to building on that. We finished off well with the tour against Bangladesh and the camp was very good.
“The weather is not something we can control but we got what we wanted out of it, such as the education around the game, touching base regarding the red ball, and what we want to achieve.
“We also touched on our skills regarding the white ball, where we are going, and what is required, so the selected squad is very well-balanced and competitive, and we are very confident going into Australia,” he said.
The squad is: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, ElizMari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Chloé Tryon, Delmi Tucker.