Proteas Women boosted by Dane’s return
next phase of Dane van Niekerk’s return following a long-term injury is to get more game time ahead of the T20 World Cup next year.
The Proteas Women’s captain was involved in both of the team’s most recent training camps in East London, with coach Hilton Moreeng expressing his delight with her progress as she builds back to full fitness.
“She did play a few of the intra-squad matches, which was good, but most important for her now is that we get match time into her legs,” said Moreeng.
Van Niekerk suffered a fractured ankle in a freak accident at home a few weeks before last season’s 50-over World Cup.
She was not part of the team’s tour to England, but did feature in a few matches for the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred competition.
She has not been part of proceedings in the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia, where she has played regularly in the last few years.
“She’s been working very hard to get back to full fitness, and she has shaken off the injury niggles,” said Moreeng.
An important part of Van Niekerk’s
preparation for the T20 World Cup, which will be hosted in South Africa next February, will be the four-team Women’s Super League that will take place in Cape Town in December.
That tournament will feature most of the country’s top stars, alongside some up-andcoming youngsters who are hoping to make the grade and feature at the World Cup. The World Cup is one of the highlights on the SA cricket calendar, and is a crucial event in accelerating the growth of the women’s game in the country.
Matches will be split between three venues: Newlands, Boland Park and St George’s Park.
Much like the men’s team, the Proteas women have had their issues at ICC events, with rain playing a major role in their semi-final defeat to Australia at the last T20 World Cup in 2020, while in New Zealand at the ODI World Cup earlier this year – after a solid roundrobin phase – they produced an error-strewn performance in their semi-final against England.
Since then the team have struggled, with the drama around Lizelle Lee’s retirement in the middle of the tour to England because of fitness issues shining a harsh spotlight on the team, which they have rarely faced.
Lee was a crucial part of the T20 side, with an ability to hit boundaries in the powerplay a major part of the team’s game plan which was absent at the Commonwealth Games last year.
Moreeng said replacing her was impossible. “A player like Lizelle, they are unique, special talents,” he said.
“The gap will always be big in women’s cricket, and we are trying to close that gap through these types of camps. It is where we expose younger players to the level of international cricket, and we see how they fare.”
Camps are one thing, but the Women’s Super League – which will feature some of the national stars – will add a competitive element that will be critical in the build-up to the World Cup.
After that tournament, the Proteas will play a triangular T20 series with India and the West Indies as part of their final preparations for the World Cup.
That series will also be at a coastal venue, which will be announced in due course.