The Proteas women are eager to continue improving ahead of the second T20 International against Pakistan at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Friday night, after triumphing in the opening game in Potchefstroom on Tuesday.
It was an incredible last ball thriller that saw 20-year-old debutant Kayla Reyneke smash a six to get her team over the line, in an amazing first ever match for the national team.
The Proteas will know that they were lucky, after they had Pakistan on the ropes, struggling on 64/6 after 10 overs, before their captain Fatima Sana scored an unbelievable first T20I half century in her 50th game, hitting seven sixes and nine fours in her 90 off 41 balls to get her team to 180/9.
The Proteas were then well on target for the win in the chase, on 102/2 at the halfway mark, but captain Laura Wolvaardt, 61 off 38 balls (8×4, 1×6), fell in the 15th over, which sparked a collapse that saw them fall from 133/2 to 147/5 after 16.
That left it to Reyneke, 29 not out off 16 balls (1×4; 3×6), and Annerie Dercksen (9 not out), to save them with an unbeaten 38-run stand off 24 balls to sneak them home for the win.
Wolvaardt said that she was happy with her team’s style of play, but that they had room for improvement ahead of the second T20I where they will hope to seal the three match series.
Happy cappy
“I am happy with how we are playing. I think there are always areas to improve on, but I really liked the way we went about the chase, we were 100 after 10, so we were right in it from the start,” explained Wolvaardt.
“We knew it was a good wicket, Fatima batted brilliantly, but we knew if we got off to a decent start it was chaseable. So I am very happy with the result.”
Reyneke was named player-of-the-match, after an all-round performance that saw her pick up 2/13 in four overs with the ball, before her heroics with the bat, and admitted that she didn’t expect to produce that type of showing first up.
“To be honest I didn’t expect that. I think that was a dream debut, and I couldn’t have asked for a better first game for my country,” said Reyneke.
“It was quite special making my debut in South Africa, especially here in Potchefstroom, because I started my SA U19 journey here. Coming into an environment like this at a young age is a dream come true.”
She added that she did feel some pressure, but was prepared for it thanks to her experience playing for the SA U19s.
“There was pressure and it can get bigger at a World Cup. But having played at the U19 World Cup, I am used to a bit of pressure. It was just about getting used to how international cricket is.”
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