Proteas have plenty in tank – Van Niekerk
DANE van Niekerk is busier than she’s ever been even though she’s not where she wants to be.
That’s the paradox of the injured Proteas captain’s life right now when there’s a women’s World Cup being staged in a country with a time difference of 12 hours and is 11554 km away.
“I’m all over the place. I told Marizanne (Kapp) yesterday there’s all these requests coming through. It’s keeping me busier than when I’m actually playing cricket but it’s keeping me out of trouble though,” Van Niekerk chuckled.
“The time zones are getting to me. I never thought I’d be in South Africa on New Zealand time. Certainly struggling a bit, but still blessed to be able to do my bit in terms of supporting the team now that I’m not playing.”
Van Niekerk is at home recovering from a freak ankle injury that put paid to her dream of leading the Proteas at the World Cup in New Zealand.
She’s only just ditched the moon boot and crutches and is getting back onto her feet. Ironically Van Niekerk’s fitness is showing similar signs of improvement to that of her Proteas teammates down in the land of the long white cloud where they too are progressing well, but have not hit their full stride just yet.
“We can all say South Africa have not put in a complete performance as yet – maybe just getting over the line. But I made the comment yesterday that in the past we hadn’t played bad cricket against England and never got over the line. Now, we’re not playing our best cricket but we’re still getting over the line and that’s a sign of a very strong side,” Van Niekerk exclusively told IOL Sport.
“Every game a different player has
put up their hand. That’s a sign of a very good team. Wolfie (Laura Wolvaardt) has been batting well, but she’s not winning the Player of the Match … do you get what I’m saying?”
The Proteas enjoyed a “full circle” moment on Monday when they beat world champions England. It allowed the team to finally release the pain of the heartbreaking Bristol semi-final defeat five years ago when Van Niekerk among others was almost inconsolable.
Van Niekerk’s wife and teammate Marizanne Kapp played a leading hand in the epic Bay Oval victory and subsequently dedicated the win to the injured skipper back home.
“I heard that and I immediately texted her and said she didn’t have to do that. They are achieving their own things over there,” Van Niekerk said.
“But there’s no doubt I was emotional. I was in the SuperSport Studios and they played it on the big screen while we were on air and I had to grab a bottle so I wouldn’t cry in front of everyone. If that game didn’t make you cry, then you’re not human.”
With the emotions running high in the camp after the England victory, can the Proteas re-focus with just a day’s break before they face hosts New
Zealand in another crunch World Cup clash in Hamilton on Thursday?
“Momentum is such a crucial thing and I believe that they should just run with it. I always say that momentum is hard to lose when you have it, and it’s hard to get it when you don’t have it, and we have it at the moment.” Van Niekerk said.
“The team is certainly in the best physical shape they’ve ever been. You can see it on the field. They are fit and raring to go. It is just about the recovery being on point. I think there’s still a lot more in the tank.”