Proteas Women's veteran Dane Van Niekerk.
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COMMENT
The Proteas Women's are turning their attention to mastering the middle overs and conquering spin bowling, as they fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
While the squad boasts a formidable top order, spearheaded by captain Laura Wolvaardt, head coach Mandla Mashimbyi has identified the middle period of the innings as a potential World Cup game-changer. This was particularly evident during the recent series against India; despite the Proteas powering to a 4-1 triumph, the 2023 and 2024 T20 World Cup runners-up showed a soft underbelly once openers Wolvaardt and Suné Luus were dismissed after the powerplay.
Mashimbyi expressed broad satisfaction with the squad's readiness but highlighted certain areas that his middle order needs to overcome.
"We do have a little bit of work to do. I am really happy with where the team is at the moment," Mashimbyi said.
"There are a couple of things we have to make sure we work on, especially with the middle order, looking after the spinners because most teams are going to bowl spin in the middle period. So, once we get comfortable with that, I think we're going to put a lot of teams under pressure."
The Proteas have made significant progress in attacking the powerplay overs when the field restrictions are in place, but slow down considerably when the field is spread and the opposition's spin bowlers are in operation.
Admittedly, the Proteas were without two of their most experienced middle-order batters for the India series, with Marizanne Kapp and Dané van Niekerk sidelined due to illness and injury, respectively. Kapp is expected to be a shoo-in to return to the squad pending her recovery, while Mashimbyi was instrumental in bringing Van Niekerk back from the international wilderness for the Ireland series at the beginning of the year.
Van Niekerk (32) has, however, made only one noteworthy score in T20Is since her comeback —41 off 19 balls against the Irish in Paarl — and subsequently struggled against the Pakistan spinners during the home series before missing the tour to New Zealand and the India series.
She is, though, well accomplished in facing high-quality spin, utilising the slog sweep to good effect. The veteran former captain most likely faces a three-way tussle for the extra batter slot in the squad alongside Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch, both of whom have also struggled for form in the shorter format of late.
Brits’ last major contribution was a half-century against the White Ferns in Hamilton back in March, but that was while she was still occupying the opening slot. Since moving down to No 3, her best effort has been 30 in a losing cause at the Wanderers in the fourth T20I last month.
Bosch’s numbers are equally disappointing, with her last notable score being a match-winning 74 not out in the T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia in Dubai two years ago.