Tag: Marizanne Kapp

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Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned…

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Liam Alder Named Overall SACA MVP for Domestic Division 2

Following the completion of all domestic fixtures, Liam Alder of the Garden Route Badgers finished at the top of the…

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TWELVE YEARS OF RESEARCH-BASED PLAYER SERVICE

Over the past 12 years, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has cemented its dedication to evidence-based practice through a…

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Wolvaardt Climbs to Overall MVP Apex as Proteas Women

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has confirmed the Proteas Women’s MVP rankings following the team’s historic journey to the Women’s ODI World Cup Final. The standings, powered by CricViz analytical data, confirm Laura Wolvaardt’s position at the top of the Proteas Women’s overall SACA MVP rankings, with Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk completing the top three after a remarkable ICC World Cup campaign.

Laura Wolvaardt holds onto her top spot in the overall Proteas Womens SACA MVP rankings on 195.685 MVP points. Her performance at the World Cup was record-shattering, as she finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with a World Record 571 runs in a single edition. Her two centuries in the knockout stage, including a brilliant 169 in the semi-final against England and a resilient 101 in the final against India, demonstrated her leadership and class under the highest pressure.

Securing the second spot in the rankings was Marizanne Kapp with 119.272 MVP points. Kapp confirmed her position as one of the world’s premier all-rounders with game-changing performances throughout the World Cup. Her career-best 5/20 against England in the semi-final secured her place in history as the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s ODI World Cup history, with her consistent clutch contributions being pivotal to the Proteas’ final appearance.

Nadine de Klerk wrapped up her World Cup campaign in third position with a total of 104.807 MVP points. Her performances included an unbeaten 84 off just 54 balls against India during the World Cup, which set the record for the highest score by a batter from number seven or below in a Women’s World Cup match while chasing.

The SACA MVP rankings, driven by the analytical partnership with CricViz, move beyond traditional statistics to deliver an objective measure of player influence. This sophisticated model assesses a player’s performance on every ball, factoring in match-defining moments, opposition strength, and the high-pressure context of tournament play, providing an accurate reflection of their true value.

Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO, commented: “This campaign was truly momentous, marking a historic pinnacle for our Proteas Women by reaching the World Cup Final. The quality of cricket played throughout this tournament has set a new, incredible benchmark for the future of the women’s game in South Africa, and the entire nation is profoundly proud of their outstanding resilience and skill.”

Proteas Women SACA MVP Rankings as of 4 November 2025
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Brits’ Historic Series Puts Her on Top of Proteas Women’s MVP

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has released the latest Proteas Women’s MVP rankings, recognising an exceptional and historic start to the international season.

A sensational run of form from the opening batter has seen her rocket to the top of the overall rankings, a testament to her consistent, match-winning contributions that helped the team convincingly win the series against Pakistan.

Brits has established a commanding lead as the overall Proteas Women’s SACA MVP with 51.256 MVP points. Her phenomenal start to the season was highlighted by a record-breaking performance in the recent ODI series against Pakistan, where she became the first South African woman to score consecutive ODI centuries. Her knocks of 101* and 171* (the latter a new highest score for a Proteas woman in ODIs) secured a series win and showcased her ability to anchor an innings and dominate the opposition.

In the opening ODI, Brits shared a record-breaking 216-run third-wicket partnership with Marizanne Kapp, a monumental effort that steered the team to victory. In the very next match, she and captain Laura Wolvaardt forged a historic 260-run opening stand, a new national record for any wicket.

Although she did not play in the final match, having played only three games, her confidence will be paramount as the team heads to Sri Lanka for the Women’s ODI World Cup, which begins on September 30. Brits also sits at the top of the ODI MVP rankings, with a total of 51.256 MVP points.

The SACA MVP rankings, powered by CricViz’s advanced data analytics, provide an in-depth and objective reflection of a player’s impact in a game. This sophisticated algorithm goes beyond traditional statistics, evaluating a player’s performance based on every ball faced. It calculates batting, bowling, and fielding contributions, while also taking into account match-defining moments and the specific conditions of the venue.

This comprehensive analysis, which quantifies and measures a player’s influence in runs scored, conceded, and saved, offers a more accurate and objective reflection of the top performers in the game compared to conventional averages.

The SACA MVP rankings will track player performances throughout the season, and we look forward to more thrilling displays as the team prepares for the Women’s ODI World Cup.

“This is an incredible moment for Tazmin Brits and for the Proteas Women,” said Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO. “Her performance has been nothing short of historic. To score back-to-back ODI centuries, setting a new national record, and with those record-breaking partnerships, demonstrates her skill and a level of consistency. Her place at the top of the SACA MVP rankings is a fitting reward for her phenomenal start to the season, and we look forward to seeing her continue to contribute to the team with such a positive impact.” 

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SACA Celebrates Proteas Women’s MVP Winners

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) is delighted to announce the winners of the Proteas Women’s SACA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards for the 2024/25 international season. These accolades, powered by CricViz’s advanced data analytics, highlight the outstanding individual contributions that shaped a memorable year for the team.

Taking the coveted overall Proteas Women’s SACA MVP title is captain Laura Wolvaardt. Her consistency across all formats ensured she maintained her lead throughout the season, a testament to her all-around impact and leadership on the field. This season, Wolvaardt has showcased her dominance with remarkable performances, this includes her maiden Test century (122 against India in July 2024) and most recently, she played a captain’s knock with an unbeaten 135 off 135 balls against India Women in Bengaluru on June 19, 2024*, showcasing her resilience and class in a challenging run-chase.

The Test arena saw a career-defining performance from Nonkululeko Mlaba, who claimed the top spot in the Test MVP rankings. Her excellent showing in the sole Test match against England earned her 53.457 MVP points. In December 2024, Mlaba delivered a 10-wicket match haul (4/90 and 6/67), a historic achievement as she became the first South African woman to achieve a 10-wicket haul in a Test match.

In the One Day Internationals, rising star Annerie Dercksen made a significant mark, taking the number one position from captain Laura Wolvaardt. Dercksen’s impactful performances saw her accumulate 140.545 MVP points. Over the last 14 months, she has played 11 ODIs, scoring 399 runs at an average of 40, including a high score of 104 against Sri Lanka in May 2025, and taking 10 wickets at an average of 24.30. These performances demonstrate her growing influence as an all-rounder in the 50-over game.

The T20 International rankings provided a thrilling finish to the season. Marizanne Kapp finished in a dominant first place with 144.431 MVP points, showcasing her consistent all-round brilliance in the shortest format. From May 2024 to June 2025, Kapp has been a pivotal force in T20Is, taking 15 wickets at an impressive average of around 14.5 and an economy rate close to 5.5. With the bat, she scored over 250 runs during this period, including a significant 57 against England at the end of 2024, consistently providing crucial contributions to the team’s wins. Captain Laura Wolvaardt secured second position with 141.533 MVP points, while Tazmin Brits rounded out the top three with 135.344 MVP points. Brits’ season included a career-best unbeaten 98 off just 63 balls in a T20i against West Indies in June 2025, underscoring her impactful contributions.

SACA MVP Rankings Powered by CricViz

The SACA Most Valuable Player Rankings, powered by CricViz’s cutting-edge analytics, offer a truly in-depth and accurate reflection of player impact. This sophisticated algorithm goes beyond traditional statistics, considering expected performance on every ball according to CricViz’s extensive database. It calculates batting, bowling, and fielding performances, factors in match-defining contributions, and even accounts for the historic performances of the venue where each fixture is played. This comprehensive analysis, which quantifies player influence in runs scored, conceded, and saved, provides a more accurate reflection of the top performers in the game compared to conventional batting and bowling averages.

Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO, stated: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the Proteas Women this season, and especially to congratulate our SACA MVP winners. Wolvaardt’s consistent excellence as overall MVP, Mlaba’s dominant Test performance, Dercksen’s breakthrough in ODIs, and the highly competitive T20i rankings topped by Marizanne Kapp showcase the depth of talent within the squad. These rankings, made possible by our partnership with CricViz, give us a comprehensive view of their invaluable contributions to the team’s success throughout the 2024/25 season.”

Khaya Zondo, SACA President, added: “This past season for the Proteas Women has been nothing short of phenomenal. The dedication and passion they bring to the field is inspiring, and we’ve seen remarkable individual performances that have genuinely impacted matches. I extend my sincere congratulations to all our SACA MVP winners – Laura, Nonkuleko, Annerie, and Marizanne– for their exceptional contributions. Their achievements, accurately highlighted by the SACA MVP rankings, truly reflect their value to the team and their continued growth in the international arena.”

Proteas Women SACA MVP Rankings as of 30 June 2025:

Overall Rankings
Test Rankings
ODI Rankings
T20i Rankings
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Mlaba Tops Proteas Women’s SACA MVP Test Rankings

Nonkululeko Mlaba’s superb 10-wicket match haul in the once-off Test match against England has not only etched her name in the history books but also propelled her to the top of the Proteas Women’s SACA MVP Test rankings.

Mlaba’s dominant performance has seen her take over the top spot on 53.457 MVP points, ahead of Suné Luus on 49.899 MVP points and Laura Wolvaardt on 48.247 MVP points. This significant achievement is a testament to her exceptional skill, hard work, and dedication to the game.

In the overall SACA MVP rankings, Mlaba has climbed to the third position behind Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt. This highlights her consistent performances across all formats and her valuable contribution to the Proteas Women’s team.

The SACA Most Valuable Player Rankings offer a more nuanced approach to evaluating player performance. By leveraging CricViz’s extensive database, the algorithm considers factors such as expected performance, match-defining contributions, and venue-specific historical data. This comprehensive analysis goes beyond traditional batting and bowling averages, providing a more accurate reflection of a player’s impact on the game.

Proteas Women SACA MVP Overall Rankings as of 19 December 2024

Proteas Women SACA MVP Test Rankings as of 19 December 2024

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Wolvaardt holds onto top spot in the Proteas Women SACA MVP overall Rankings

Laura Wolvaardt’s outstanding performance at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup secured her the top position in the Proteas Women’s SACA MVP ranking.

Wolvaardt’s exceptional batting display throughout the tournament solidified her position as one of the world’s premier T20 batters.  She scored 223 runs at an average of 44.60 and a strike rate of 113.19.

The CricViz model comprehensively ranks player batting, bowling, and fielding performances on a single scale measured in runs, recognises and ranks players based on their performances in each game.

Marizanne Kapp’s performances at the World Cup earned her the top spot in the overall T20 rankings. Her all-round performances made her a standout performer throughout the tournament.

T20 Women’s World Cup Rankings

The SACA Most Valuable Player Rankings takes into account expected performance on every ball according to CricViz’s extensive database. The algorithm calculates batting, bowling, and fielding performances as well as match-defining contributions, and it considers the historic performances of the venue where each fixture is being played. Therefore, providing a more accurate reflection of the top performers in the game compared to traditional batting and bowling averages.

Proteas Women SACA MVP rankings as at 20 October 2024:

Proteas Women Overall Rankings
Proteas Women T20i Rankings
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ICC PLAYER OF THE MONTH NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the nominees for the inaugural ICC Player of the Month Awards which recognise and celebrate the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year. Fans have been treated to some sensational cricket during the month of January making the inaugural player of the month awards a highly competitive affair and they can now vote on www.icc-cricket.com for their favourite ICC Player of the Month (January).

About the ICC Men’s Player of the Month January Nominees:

Rishabh Pant played two Tests against Australia where he scored a 97 at Sydney to ensure a draw before an unbeaten 89 at Brisbane that led India to a historic series win against arch-rivals Australia. England Captain Joe Root played two Tests against Sri Lanka, where he scored a 228 and 186 and led his team to a 2-0 Test series victory. The third nominee in the category, Ireland’s Paul Stirling played two ODIs v UAE and three ODIs v Afghanistan, where he scored three centuries.

About ICC Women’s Player of the Month January Nominees:

Diana Baig of Pakistan played three ODIs and two T20Is against South Africa, where she led the wicket-takers with nine wickets in the three-match ODI series against South Africa. South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail also played three ODIs and two T20Is against Pakistan and took seven wickets in the victorious ODI series against Pakistan, before taking five wickets in the second T20I against the same opposition. Her compatriot all-rounder Marizanne Kapp who is the third nominee in the category played two ODIs and two T20Is against Pakistan where she made 115 runs at a strike rate of 110.57 and added three wickets in the ODI series against Pakistan.

The ICC Player of the Month voting process:

The three nominees for each of the categories are shortlisted based on on-field performances and overall achievements during the period of that month (the first to the last day of each calendar month).

This shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world. The ICC Voting Academy comprising prominent members of the cricket family including senior journalists, former players, and broadcasters and some members of the ICC Hall of Fame.

The Voting Academy will submit their votes by email and will retain a 90% share of the vote. Additionally, fans registered with the ICC will be able to vote via the ICC website once the shortlisted players are announced and will have a 10% share of the vote. Winners will be announced every second Monday of the month on the ICC’s digital channels.

Click here to vote

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MOMENTUM PROTEAS GO UP IN T20 SERIES

The Momentum Proteas continued their winning ways when they beat Bangladesh by 17 runs in the first Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s T20I in Kimberley. They go one-nil up in the three-match series.

Shabnim Ismail was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/19 in her four-over spell, including a maiden to help restrict the visitors to 110/5 chasing a 128-run target. Raisibe Ntozakhe (1/10) and Masabata Klaas (1/21) chipped in with a wicket each along the way.

Bangladesh’s Rumana Ahmed (36 off 41 balls) and Fargana Hoque (35 off 37) batted their side out of early trouble after losing the opening pair of Shamima Sultana (5) and Sanjida Islam (8) cheaply inside the first five overs. Ahmed and Hoque then went about reconstructing the innings, sharing a 72-run, fourth-wicket partnership before the former was toppled by Ismail. The bowlers squeezed away the overs, ensuring the tourists did not get over the line in the end.

Earlier in the day, the home side got off to a flying start with the bat thanks to a 77-run opening stand between Lizelle Lee (46 off 38 balls) and Laura Wolvaardt (30 off 22) after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Trouble came after the loss of Wolvaardt at the hands of Ahmed (2/19) in the 10th over. She and Khadija Tul Kubra (3/23) ripped through the South African top order, taking five wickets between them as the hosts slipped from 77/1 to 86/5 after 13 overs. They lost the openers, stand in captain Chloe Tryon (6), Mignon du Preez (1) and debutant Stacey Lackay (1) in rapid succession.

Marizanne Kapp added 11 runs to the scoreboard before she fell victim to Salma Khatun (1/12) off the first ball of the 19th over. Suné Luus took the innings in her own hands, blasting 28 runs from 23 deliveries including two fours and six, moving South Africa from 113/6 to a healthier 127 in the end.

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ISMAIL FIVE-FOR KEEPS MOMENTUM PROTEAS ALIVE IN T20 SERIES

Shabnim Ismail took a career-best 5/30 to help the Momentum Proteas beat India by five wickets in the third Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s T20 at the Bidvest Wanderers on Sunday. The visitors now lead the series 2-1.

India were restricted to 133 in 17.5 overs thanks to Ismail’s remarkable spell which was well supported by Masabata Klaas, who got 2/20. A special mention must go to Marizanne Kapp who got the team off to a sensational start, taking the wicket of Mithali Raj (0) in the first over of the match. She ended with outstanding figures of 1/6 in three overs including her opening wicket maiden after the home side won the toss and elected to field.

India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur (48) and Smriti Mandhana (37) recovered the innings well, but wickets tumbled at regular intervals, the bowlers not allowing the batting side to settle in for too long.

South Africa’s reply saw the early loss of Lizelle Lee for the third match straight, this time for five runs off Pooja Vastrakar (2/21). Captain, Dané van Niekerk chipped in with 26 runs off 20 balls (5x4s) before Suné Luus (41 off 34) and Mignon du Preez (20) began the rebuild.

Poonam Yadav struck at the end of the 14th over with the Proteas needing 50 from the last 36 balls. Enter the dangerous Chloe Tryon who smashed 34 runs from just 15 deliveries, getting her side to the brink of victory. They needed just three runs when she lost her wicket and overcame the visitors comfortably in the end.

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MOMENTUM PROTEAS WIN OPENING MATCH

The Momentum Proteas got their 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup campaign off to a winning start when they beat Pakistan by three wickets at Grace Road in Leicester on Sunday. This win marks the side’s highest-ever World Cup run chase after they were set a 207-run target by Sana Mir’s charges.

With Pakistan put in to bat first, Bibi Nahida represented a crucial presence at the crease as fellow opener Ayesha Zafar (nine) and then Javeria Wadood were all bowled by Marizanne Kapp and Moseline Daniels respectively for 43/2.

With just 20 runs managed inside the second 10 overs, it was looking like hard work for Pakistan.

But Bibi – who was dropped by Ayabonga Khaka on 26 – brought up her half-century off 75 balls to steady the ship. Her effort eventually ended when she was run out by Ismail but Pakistan boosted its total later on despite losing Sana Mir and Marina Iqbal off Ismail’s bowling in the final over.

The South Africa openers set about their business well early on with Lee bringing up 1 500 runs in ODI cricket with a six over mid-on before reaching her 10th ODI fifty in dramatic fashion as Sadia dropped a catch at long-on to concede four.

But when Lee and Wolvaardt – who brought up her fourth ODI fifty off 81 balls – were dismissed in the 26th and 31st overs respectively, panic seemed to spread through the South Africa team.

Trisha Chetty (11) was caught at midwicket by Javeria before the latter ran out Kapp (one), Chloe Tryon (three) was bowled by Sadia and captain Dane van Niekerk (two) was another run-out victim, this time by Nain, with four wickets lost for 19 runs.

Mignon du Preez then holed out to Asmavia Iqbal at deep midwicket but Ismail held her nerve.

Losing six wickets in 49 runs was not ideal, but Ismail made her biggest contribution in the game yet, smashing three boundaries in the second-last over to secure victory for her side.

Ismail said: “It’s really important to start tournaments like this on a positive note because it gives you momentum going into the next matches. The confidence boost from today’s game is going to take us a long way in this tournament, just that belief that we can pull off a win even when it looks as though we are down and out showed us that we are capable of more.

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KAPP TOPS ICC RANKINGS HEADING INTO WORLD CUP

Momentum Proteas Marizanne Kapp heads into the Women’s World Cup as the top-ranked bowler in One-Day International cricket.

The ICC Women’s World Cup will be held across five venues in the United Kingdom, from June 24 to July 23.

Defending champions and six-time winners Australia’s campaign will be led by captain Meg Lanning, who tops the batsman’s list in the Women’s ODI Player Rankings by a comfortable margin of 51 points over India captain Mithali Raj.

For three-time winners England, who won the World Cup both times they hosted it – in 1973 and 1993 – captain Heather Knight leads the batting line-up in 11th position.

New Zealand, the 2000 champions, boast Amy Satterthwaite who is ranked third and captain Suzie Bates, who has a huge reputation as she was the leading run-scorer in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013.

The Proteas women have the satisfaction of seeing Kapp at the top of the bowlers’ list, with Shabnim Ismail in 10th position.

Lizelle Lee (10th), who partnered in a record 163-run opening stand with captain Dane van Niekerk in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2014 match against Pakistan, will feature in her first World Cup and is the top-ranked batsman from her side with Mignon de Preez (13th) and Chloe Tryon (14th) not too far behind.

There are no separate ODI team rankings for women but the results of the ICC Women’s World Cup will have a bearing on the Women’s Team Rankings, which are a combination of ODI and Twenty20 International results.

Australia leads the table currently with 128 points. They could be overtaken by England (122 points) if the host wins all its matches and Australia also lose to New Zealand and the West Indies or fare worse.

South Africa are on 91 points, Pakistan on 76 and Sri Lanka on 67 points.

Top 10 women bowling rankings:

1. Marizanne Kapp (RSA) – 665

2. Stafanie Taylor (WI) – 636

3. Jhulan Goswami (IND) – 611

4. Katherine Brunt (ENG) – 606

5. Jess Jonassen (AUS) – 598

6. Ekta Bisht (IND) – 586

7. Anisa Mohammed (WI) – 577

8. Sana Mir (PAK) – 569

9. Ellyse Perry (AUS) – 558

10. Shibnam Ismail (RSA) – 543

Top 10 women batting rankings:

1. Meg Lanning (AUS) – 807

2. Mithali Raj (IND) – 756

3. Amy Satterthwaite (NZ) – 733

4. Suzie Bates (NZ) – 694

5. Stafanie Taylor (WI) – 687

6. Ellyse Perry (AUS) – 681

7. Alex Blackwell (AUS) – 623

8. Deandra Dottin (WI) – 583

9. Harmanpreet Kaur (IND) – 562

10. Lizelle Lee (RSA) – 560

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KLAAS EXCITED ABOUT FIRST 50-OVER WORLD CUP

Momentum Proteas bowler, Masabata Klaas will embark on her first-ever trip to the England when the team depart for the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup on Friday. This will be her first time participating in a 50-over World Cup, having previously played for South Africa in the last two ICC Women’s World T20 competitions.

The Free State native believes that exposure to a high-intensity competition like the World Cup, coupled with having to play in unknown English conditions is what she needs to take her game to the next level.

“I can’t wait to go to England as it will be my first trip there and also my first 50-over World Cup,” she said. “As a team, we have prepared really well so far and playing in a competition like this, against the kind of opposition we will face, I can only get better as a player and it is an opportunity to up my game at the end of the day.”

“It’s definitely not an easy place to tour,” she continued. “Everyone is going to have to pull together and make sure we stick to our game plans. If we can learn from what we have seen from the men’s games, we will at least have taken a step in the right direction.”

Klaas, whose international career began in 2010 when she made her ODI debut against Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom, looks at how far the team has come since then and how much the women’s game has evolved.

She said; “Since my debut so much has changed for the women’s team. Momentum came on board with their sponsorship and changed a lot for us. The contracts that we got starting in 2013 have changed lots of girls’ lives and now our games are also on TV. I’m very excited about all our matches in the World Cup being televised on SuperSport.”

The team depart for England this Friday, 16 June 2017. An open media practice will be held tomorrow (Thursday, 15 June) at the outdoor nets at the CSA Centre of Excellence with interviews starting at 13:00.

Momentum Proteas ICC Women’s World Cup squad:
Dané van Niekerk (capt, Eastern Province), Chloe Tryon (vice-captain, KwaZulu-Natal), Trisha Chetty (wk, Gauteng), Moseline Daniels (Boland), Nadine de Klerk (Northerns), Mignon du Preez (Northerns), Shabnim Ismail (Gauteng), Ayabonga Khaka (Border), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Masabata Klaas (Free State), Lizelle Lee (North West), Sune Luus (Northerns), Raisibe Ntozakhe (Gauteng), Andrie Steyn (Western Province), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province).

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PROTEAS WOMEN CRUSH BANGLADESH IN OPENING ODI

Momentum Proteas got their tune up to the World Cup qualifiers off in fine fashion as they crushed hosts Bangladesh by 86 runs in the opening One-Day International.

The Proteas womens team are in Bangladesh to play five ODIs before they head to Sri Lanka for the World Cup qualifiers. They would be delighted after their efforts in the first game.

South Africa were off to a superb start thanks to Lizelle Lee and Andreie Steyn, who combined to add 122 in 22.4 overs after being put in to bat. While Steyn was guarded in her approach, scoring slightly over a run every two balls, her partner Lee was in a mood to destroy. Lee smashed 87 off just 71 balls, a knock that included six fours and seven sixes, to blast her team into a dominating position.

After Lee was dismissed, Mignon du Preez took over, hitting a well-paced 62 to further South Africa’s stronghold. Marizanne Kapp added a few lusty blows towards the end as South Africa ended with 251 for 3 in their fifty overs.

Bangladesh’s top three batters – Sharmin Akther, Sanjida Islam and Fargana Hoque – added a combined 22 runs off 95 balls to leave their side on the backfoot.

At 56 for 4 in the 23rd over, Bangladesh were in danger of a massive loss until Nigar Sultana gave the hosts’ total some respectability as she kept the tourists at bay. Sultana hit 59 off 90 deliveries, ending the innings in some style with a flurry of boundaries as South Africa romped home to an 86-run win.

Sune Luus picked up three wickets to finish as South Africa’s most top bowler on the day, while captain Dane van Niekerk impressed with figures of 2 for 23 in her nine overs.

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DISAPPOINING FINISH FOR MOMENTUM PROTEAS

The Momentum Proteas bowed out of the World Twenty20 on a disappointing note after a poor batting collapse lead to a 10-run defeat against Sri Lanka in Bangalore on Monday.

In a televised match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the South Africans did a good job to restrict theSri Lankans to 114/7. Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus grabbed two wickets apiece, despite Chamari Atapattu’s inspiring captains knock of  52 (49 balls, 5 fours, 1 six).

Medium-pacer Kapp picked up 2/17 in her four overs, while spinner Luus, the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, managed 2/20 in three overs as the Proteas women restricted their opponents excellently.

The second highest scorer after the Sri Lankan skipper was Prasadani Weerakkody with 15. However, the South African women let themselves down badly. They failed to cash in on their prolific start handed to them by openers Dane van Niekerk (24 off 31 balls) and Trisha Chetty (26 off 25).

Instead they found themselves coming up short on 104/7 after poor batting saw them lose 3 wickets for 2 runs and then 7 for 52 in total. Van Niekerk and Chetty put on 50 together in nine overs, before the former was run-out by the Atapattu and Weerakkody combination.

Captain Mignon du Preez was out for a four-ball duck, when she was trapped leg before wicket by her opposite number Atapattu, while Chetty fell the same way to Eshani Kaushalya – the first three wickets falling within the space of seven balls. Unfortunately that knocked the stuffing out of the South Africans, with the next best scorer being Kapp with 14.

It was disappointingly the third loss in four games for the Momentum Proteas as they ended the competition placed fourth in Group A. Du Preez admitted the batting let South Africas down.

“We had a good start but we lost it in the middle order,” she said. “We have been struggling with our batting in the whole tournament. This is something we need to work on and come back stronger.

“We have a strong batting line-up, we knew we could chase down the runs. But that did not happen.”

 

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MOMENTUM PROTEAS BEAT WI 2-1

South Africa staged a sensational comeback in defence of a below-par total to claim a first T20 series win over West Indies and sound a warning ahead of the World T20. South Africa’s victory came less than three weeks after they beat England for the first time in a T20 and illustrated the progress the team has made since September 2014, when they were beaten 4-0 by England.

West Indies, who have not lost a series in the same period of time, will be disappointed with their failure to complete a straightforward chase, especially as they were well on course. They had reached 81 for 3 in the 15th over and even though their captain Stafanie Taylor had been bowled around her legs by Dane van Niekerk, they had their other stalwart Deandra Dottin on hand.

Dottin seemed to be striking the ball better than any of her team-mates but when she attempted a loft over long-on, she mistimed to spark a collapse. South Africa took four more wickets in the next 18 balls and then squeezed at the end to pull off a remarkable win.

On a slow pitch, run-scoring was tricky for both sides but South Africa would have felt they were at least 20 runs short at the halfway stage, especially because they had so many wickets in hand. They recovered from an early blow when Shamilia Connell had Trisha Chetty caught at slip and rebuilt cautiously through van Niekerk was joined and Mignon du Preez.

The pair found the boundary just five times but rotated strike well to score at more than a run-a-ball and put on 48 for the second wicket. When van Niekerk was bowled as she tried to slog sweep Taylor over midwicket, and with the run-rate stagnating, du Preez took it on herself to try and force the pace. She managed only to gift a catch to short midwicket.

Marizanne Kapp and Lizelle Lee also found it heavy going but with South Africa yet to reach 100 and only two overs left, they took some risks. Lee was the only batsman to clear the boundary and her efforts at the end gave South Africa something to defend but when West Indies knocked off the first 14 runs inside two overs, they would not have expected to be successful.

Moseline Daniels had Kycia Knight trapped lbw to provide some early hope but that only brought Taylor to the crease. She tried to end matters quickly with her aggressive approach and when she was bowled, Dottin took over. It was only when Dottin was caught that South Africa fought back.

Kyshona Knight departed soon after Dottin, sharp fielding resulted in the run-outs of Shermaine Campbell and Shaquana Quintyne and Shabnim Ismail took a good catch off her own bowling to give South Africa belief. Daniels and Ismail bowled tightly at the end and South Africa’s fielders were on high alert to deny West Indies.

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CHETTY & VAN NIEKERK SET UP PROTEAS WOMEN WIN

Trisha Chetty and Dane van Niekerk both stroked half-centuries, paving the way for South Africa Women’s 35-run win against West Indies Women in East London. Victory was not of much significance, though, as West Indies had already sealed the three-match series having won the first two ODIs.

South Africa, opting to bat, compiled a score of 235 for 6, built on the back of two big partnerships. First, Chetty (55) and Mignon du Preez (43) added 72 for the second wicket, before Marizanne Kapp (39) and van Niekerk provided the innings late impetus by stringing together a 64-run fifth-wicket stand. Van Niekerk slammed 55 off 48 balls before being run out.

West Indies, in reply, lost their opener Hayley Matthews early in the chase, but Shaquana Quintyne and Kyshona Knight led a recovery with a 57-run partnership for the second wicket. However, just when they seemed steady, the visitors lost wickets in a cluster to soon fall to 118 for 5. Merissa Aguilleira and Shemaine Campbelle offered the team some hope by adding 52 for the sixth wicket, but Aguilleira’s wicket in the 43rd over left the lower order with too much to do, as West Indies could only muster 200 for 8 from their 50 overs.

Masabata Klaas and Sune Luus snared two wickets apiece, while Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka and van Niekerk chipped in with one each.

“It was definitely a much better performance today,” du Preez said after the game. “We’re still not at 100%, maybe 80 or 90% there in terms of the way that we executed our skills. Something that we’ve been talking about is the fact that the top order needs to score more runs and I think everyone that went in (to bat), chipped in somehow and Trisha (Chetty) and Dané’s (van Niekerk) half-centuries really set up a nice total for our bowlers to defend.”

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PROTEAS WOMEN ICC WOMEN’S WORLD T20 SQUAD ANNOUNCED

Cricket South Africa on Thursday, announced the Momentum Proteas squad that will take part in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 from 08 March to 03 April 2016 in India.

South Africa will face tough competition in Group A, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland but coach, Hilton Moreeng is confident of his team’s chances to qualify out of the group stage.

“From a selection point of view and from the preparation we have done in the last two years, we think we have selected the best squad for the conditions that we will be faced with,” he said. “It’s a well-balanced squad with lots of experience and a bit of youth. We’ve given ourselves the best chance to play well and compete, as well as to qualify for the knock out phase.”

Moreeng is fortunate to have a squad that is used to playing in sub-continent conditions. He believes that the ICC Women’s Championship series that the side has been playing in mostly sub-continent conditions has helped them in their preparation for India.

“The fact that our first three series in the Women’s Championship were in the sub-continent has helped us a lot in terms of getting players used to those kinds of conditions and pitches,” he continued. “Eighty percent of the squad going to the World T20 has been exposed to sub-continent conditions, especially India, so there won’t be too many players who will be experiencing the conditions for the first time.”

In the previous World T20 (2014), South Africa knocked New Zealand out of the quarter-finals to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time ever. Moreeng believes that he has a side that can pull off another similar upset.

“Players learn all the time and what better way to learn than from the ones who have done so before. We’ve played some of the top teams in the world of late. We have just finished a series against England and are busy with one against West Indies now. The exposure to top-notch players is invaluable for what we are trying to prepare for. The confidence in the team is much higher now, we all know that on the day in a T20 match anything can happen, one over can swing the game either way so the execution of our skills on the day will be key.”

 

Momentum Proteas World T20 squad:

Mignon du Preez (captain, Northerns), Trisha Chetty (Gauteng), Odine Kirsten (Northerns), Moseline Daniels (Boland), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Dane van Niekerk (Eastern Province), Dinesha Devnarain (KZN Coastal), Chloe Tryon (KZN Coastal), Sune Luus (Northerns), Shabnim Ismail (Gauteng), Masabatha Klaas (Free State), Ayabonga Khaka (Border), Matshipi Marcia Letsoalo (Northerns), Lizelle Lee (North West), Yolani Fourie (Gauteng).

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ENGLAND WOMEN CLINCH T20 SERIES

Sarah Taylor once again played a starring role in her side’s four-wicket victory over the Momentum Proteas to clinch the three-match women’s T20 series 2-1 at the Bidvest Wanderers on Sunday.

Taylor scored 60 from 40 deliveries to steer her side to victory after South Africa set a 132-run target for them to chase in the second televised match of the series.

The hosts did well to post 131 for four at the end of their innings after they lost the wickets of Trisha Chetty (0), Dané van Niekerk (5) and Marizanne Kapp (0) in just 1.5 overs after they were put in to bat.

Captain Mignon du Preez and Lizelle Lee brought life back to the innings, sharing a 89-run, fourth-wicket partnership to move their side from six for three to 95 for four at 16.1 overs when du Preez was run out for 39 after she passed 1 000 T20 runs.

The milestones continued as Lee hit a career best, 69 not out from 61 balls and was joined by Chloe Tryon, who played a helpful cameo of 16 off 13 balls to get their side to a more respectable score.

South Africa tried to stem England’s run scoring, but they did not have enough runs on the scoreboard to defend.

Shabnim Ismail was the leading wicket taker with 3-27, but England were scoring at 8.58 runs per over, with Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont adding helpful contributions of 25 and 21 not out respectively to get their side over the line in the end.

The hosts do not have time to wallow in their disappointment as, their tour against the West Indies begins on Wednesday, 24 February.

They will play a three-match one-day international (ODI) and three-match T20 series before they depart for the ICC Women’s World T20 in India.

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SA draw with SL in the first round of the ICC Women’s Championship

Following the completion of the opening round of the ICC Women’s Championship, the West Indies and Australia are level at the top of the table and both sides will face-off next month in Australia, as they look to cement their early advantage in what is set to be a thrilling series in Sydney (which will host the opening two ODI’s) and then Bowral.

In the final series of the first round in Colombo, Sri Lanka and South Africa played out an exhilarating and competitive series which ended in a one-all draw with the second One-Day International (ODI) rained off.

South Africa claimed the first spoils in the three-ODI series when it defeated the host by 53 runs in a game which saw Marizanne Kapp score 89 not out, with opening batter Lizelle Lee contributing 72 in the visitors’ 225 for eight. Sri Lanks’s Eshani Lokusuriyage followed up her two for 24 with a fine 59 but the home side fell short by 53 runs as it was restricted to 172 for nine.

Sri Lanka bounced back in the third ODI to win the match by four wickets with six balls to spare after the second ODI couldn’t be complete despite a reserve day. Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Jayangani won the toss and her decision to field first was justified when South Africa was restricted to 139 for seven in game reduced to 27 overs per side. In reply, Chamari Jayangani hit a 71-ball 63 as Sri Lanka romped to victory for the loss of four wickets with six balls to spare.

As a consequence, in the Reliance ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings for Batters, Jayangani was the biggest mover in the batting ranks, when she jumped nine places to 12th.

South Africa all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has also improved her batting rankings by two places and is now in 15th position, while her compatriot Dane van Niekerk, has risen three places to share 22nd position with Eshani Kaushalya, who has vaulted 14 places. Lee is also a big gainer in the latest rankings, when she has rocketed 14 places to 40th.

In the Reliance ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings for Bowlers, South Africa bowler Shibnam Ismail has moved up three places to seventh spot. Kapp’s efforts with the ball means that she has progressed by three places and is now marginally off the top 20 in 21st position.

Sri Lanka’s top ranked bowler is H.A.S.D. Siriwardene who is unchanged in 18th place, while her team-mate Maduri Samuddika was a significant riser in the rankings update when she climbed 19 places to 57th.

Kapp has moved up two places to number-three in the all-rounder rankings, where West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor continues to blaze a trail.

The ICC Women’s Championship is a qualifying tournament for the ICC Women’s World Cup with the top four sides progressing to the 2017 event to be staged in England. The bottom four sides will get a final chance of qualification through the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017.

The tournament structure will see each team will play each other in one home or away series that will include three ODIs over a two and a half year period. As such, each side is guaranteed at least 21 ODIs over the tournament period.

With the world’s top eight ranked sides participating in the tournament, three series of three ODIs each were played in the lead up to South Africa-Sri Lanka series, with Australia and West Indies sweeping side Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, and England beating India by 2-0 with one match washed-out.

Forthcoming  Proteas Women’s fixtures:

India v South Africa

23 Nov – First ODI, Bangalore
25 Nov – Second ODI, Bangalore
27 Nov – Third ODI, Bangalore

Points table:

Teams

P

W

L

Tie

N/R

Points

NRR

For

Against
West Indies

3

3

0

0

0

6

1.712

 465/107.5 392/150
Australia

3

3

0

0

0

6

1.357

 477/93.4 467/125
England

3

2

0

0

1

5

0.686

 367/80.1 312/80.1
South Africa

3

1

1

0

1

3

0.583

 364/77 315/76
Sri Lanka

3

1

1

0

1

3

-0.583

 315/76 364/77
India

3

0

2

0

1

1

-0.686

 312/80.1 367.80.1
Pakistan

3

0

3

0

0

0

-1.357

 467/125 477/93.4
New Zealand

3

0

3

0

0

0

-1.712

 392/150 465/107.5

Note – two points for a win, no point for a loss and one point for a no-result

ICC Women’s ODI Team Rankings:

The ICC Women’s Championship is being contested by the following eight teams who have been seeded according to their rankings following the ICC Women’s World Cup India 2013:

  1. Australia
  2. West Indies
  3. England
  4. New Zealand
  5. Sri Lanka
  6. South Africa
  7. India
  8. Pakistan

 Following the completion of the round-robin matches, the final standings of the points table will represent each team’s final event ranking, and the top four teams will automatically qualify for the ICC WWC 2017.

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