Buffalo Park to provide comfort for wounded Proteas

The Proteas Women might still be hurting from their ICC T20 Women’s final loss to New Zealand three weeks back, but interim head coach Dillon du Preez is pleading with them to quickly open a new chapter with the next global showpiece in just 24 months. 

Part of that new journey will start at Buffalo Park in East London on Sunday, November 24, in their T20 series opener against England.

It will also be a good measure of where the team stand as they will be facing England,  custodians of the shorter-format World Cup in 2026.

The Proteas Women have been regular visitors to Buffalo Park in the last two years.

Their results have not been that favourable, having won only three of their last 10 T20s at the coastal venue.

Those stats will be a concern for the Proteas as a starting venue in their multi-format series which will see them play three T20Is, three ODIs and a Test against the English. 

But Du Preez is hoping for a change of fortunes. 

On Monday, he named his T20I squad of 14 players, with three additions to the team that reached the final of the T20 World Cup in the UAE.

All-rounders Eliz-Mari Marx and Nondumiso Shangase join the group alongside WP batter Faye Tunnicliffe, who makes her return to the national squad for the first time since 2021.

They are in for Marizanne Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka, who are rested for this series, as well as wicketkeeper batter Mieke de Ridder.

Additionally, Seshnie Naidu will focus on her academic commitments as she completes her matric exams while aiming to represent SA at the U19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia in January.

While that is the case, Kapp, Khaka and De Ridder will rejoin the ODI squad, with the experienced Masabata Klaas back in contention despite missing out on the T20 World Cup. 

Left-hander Lara Goodall, who reached her 50th ODI in April, returns after missing the series against India.

In the current ICC Women’s Championship standings (2022-2025), SA sit fourth with 23 points from 21 matches, trailing England by five points with three matches to play for both teams.

The top five sides, along with host nation India, will qualify automatically for the 2025 World Cup. 

“Everyone is looking forward to the multi-format series against England, and we know it’s not going to be an easy one. It’s always a tough series against them,” Du Preez said.

“We know that we need to make sure that our planning is spot on and so far it’s been interesting.  

“We would like to have the same approach as we had in the recent T20 World Cup.

“We would still like to grow as a team and continue working on our T20 playing philosophy.

“So we decided to give one or two players a chance in the T20I series to prove themselves and also to give us a chance to look at what stock we have available and what skill we need to work on.”

The Proteas’ historic Test match will be in Bloemfontein from December 15-18, the first women’s Test in SA since 2002.

Squads:

T20I: Laura Wolvaardt (capt, Titans), Anneke Bosch (Titans), Tazmin Brits (Lions), Nadine de Klerk (WP), Annerie Dercksen (Badgers), Ayanda Hlubi (Dolphins), Sinalo Jafta (Lions), Sune Luus (Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Titans), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (Lions), Nondumiso Shangase (Dolphins), Chloe Tryon (Lions), Faye Tunnicliffe (WP)

ODI: Laura Wolvaardt (capt, Titans), Anneke Bosch (Titans), Tazmin Brits (Lions), Nadine de Klerk (WP), Annerie Dercksen (Badgers), Mieke de Ridder (Badgers), Lara Goodall (WP), Ayanda Hlubi (Dolphins), Sinalo Jafta (Lions), Marizanne Kapp (WP), Ayabonga Khaka (Lions), Masabata Klaas (Titans), Sune Luus (Titans), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Dolphins), Chloe Tryon (Lions)

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