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The Women’s World Cup has gotten underway in New Zealand and the Proteas Women’s team will be looking to go all the way to the final now that they have an experienced squad. Ongama Gcwabe & Bet Central bring you Five Key Players to South Africa’s success in the tournament.
The memories of the 2017 World Cup semi-final exit will be as vivid as ever when the Proteas Women take to the field tomorrow against Bangladesh Women at the University Oval in Dunedin. The Proteas women’s team bring good momentum into the World Cup having beaten a strong West Indies unit at home. The absence of captain Dane van Niekerk is a huge blow, but Sune Luus is more than capable as both a leader and a batter.
Let’s breakdown the 5 key players for the Proteas:
Laura Woolvardt
The classy 22-year-old batter from the Western Cape is a big player within this setup. She plays a crucial role at the top of the order and is an inform player within the side. Laura has one century and one fifty in her last five innings in WODIs and will be needed by the team to step up at the biggest stage in international cricket. She averages 44.32 in her 66 WODIs and three centuries to her name.
Chloe Tryon
Having comeback from injury, Tryon brings experience in the side. The all-rounder is one of the players that were in the 2017 World Cup squad. As a power hitter and a muscle in the batting order, Tryon will be key to South Africa setting respectable totals in this World Cup. She also brings an off-spin option for captain Sune Luus to use if needed. Tryon has over 1300 runs in WODIs and has the highest score of 92. With ball in hand, she has 38 wickets behind her name.
Marizanne Kapp
The speedster is one of the experienced players that is expected to carry the team in difficult moments of this World Cup campaign. Marizanne Kapp being one of only eleven players in WODI history to score over 1000 runs and claim over 100 wickets tells a story of how successful she has been for South Africa since making her debut in 2009. Across 118 matches, she averages 23.88 with the ball and with the bat she has one century and nine half-centuries. In New Zealand and with a new ball, she will be a handful for batters.
Shabnim Ismail
Shabnim Ismail has had an incredible international career with the Proteas. Her numbers in international cricket are unreal. Averaging only 20 with the ball after 114 matches shows the class of Ismail as a fast bowler. She has taken 169 wickets in WODIs and her best bowling figures read 6-10 (six wickets for ten runs). Her partnerships with Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka will make or break South Africa’s chances of going to the Finals and bringing the trophy home.
Ayabonga Khaka
Aya Khaka is in good form in Proteas colours and is fresh from a five-wicket haul against a strong West Indies side a month ago. In the seamer-friendly conditions that are expected in New Zealand, Khaka will be lethal with the new ball. She has played 73 WODIs and has 96 wickets at an average of 23.98.
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