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‘Experienced’ Marizanne Kapp's welcome return to boost stuttering Proteas Women

Dane van Niekerk (Captain) of the Momentum Proteas during 3rd Womens ODI match between South Africa and Bangladesh at Diamond Oval on May 09, 2018 in Kimberley, South Africa. (Photo: Louis Botha / Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

29 May 2025

The Proteas Women will be boosted by the inclusion of star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp when they face the West Indies.

The Proteas Women had a dire 50-over tri-series tour of Sri Lanka at the start of the month – winning only one of their four matches – but now have star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp back in the squad hoping to make a change.

The Proteas will tackle West Indies in Barbados throughout June in a six-match white-ball tour, hoping for an improved performance.

The last time South Africa won back-to-back cricket matches was in the T20 World Cup in October 2024 – with only two sporadic victories since. From that point, they had a seven-match, all-format tour against England in which they only won one match and then more recently their singular victory against Sri Lanka in a tri-series that included India.

Head coach Mandla Mashimbyi came on board halfway through the series against England and arguably the team’s most important player, Kapp, was rested for the ODI tour in Sri Lanka.

With the Cricket World Cup in India starting in September, the excuses are beginning to dry up.

“Sometimes things have to go wrong for you to get them right,” Mashimbyi said about his ambitions for success at the Cricket World Cup.

Marizanne Kapp during the Proteas’ third ODI against England at tge JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on 11 December 2024. (Photo: Lee Warren / Gallo Images)

Kapp’s addition to the side will help ensure things go right more often.

“You can never underestimate the value of an experienced player in your squad,” Mashimbyi said of Kapp’s return to the national fold

“Based on the plans that were had for Marizanne, in terms of her fitness block and to make sure by the time we get to the World Cup she’ll be where she needs to be – that was most important for us at this time.”

Besides experience, 35-year-old Kapp adds quality swing bowling with the new ball as well as runs in the middle order – areas in which the team struggled in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

“Having her back in the squad is something I’m looking forward to seeing,” Mashimbyi added. “Seeing how she operates within the team environment and also the experience that she brings.”

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In place of Kapp as well as the ill Anneke Bosch, youngsters Karabo Meso, Seshnie Naidu and Miané Smit were given a run.

“One of the main things we’re trying to do as well is create depth within the squad, knowing that anybody coming into the squad can impact the team positively,” Mashimbyi said.

Dane van Niekerk bowls during third ODI between South Africa and Bangladesh at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on 9 May 2018. (Photo: Louis Botha / Gallo Images)

Meso and Smit are with the team again for the tour of West Indies, while Naidu has been dropped. Bosch has also not recovered in time for the tour.

While Mashimbyi has not been afraid to turn to youth in his short time as coach thus far, he has also not ruled out calling on South Africa’s eighth-most-experienced player in the 50-over format.

Former captain Dané van Niekerk made a u-turn on her international retirement in 2024 and was aiming to make a return to the international stage at the World Cup in September. That looks unlikely at this stage but not out of the realm of possibility, according to Mashimbyi.

“We are not in a position to say that she can make it or not,” he said.

“Anything can happen. In terms of her being in the plans, I’ve had a chat with her in February about the things that we require for her to put her name back into the hat.

“I’m going to have to have a follow-up chat with her regarding what she thinks going forward.

“In terms of that, she was not in the plans initially, but you can never count anybody out. When the opportunity presents itself and she’s the one that’s available to make the team, or she’s fit enough, or she’s where she needs to be… we can’t control that.”

Youngster Smit and Suné Luus are currently the two top-order batters who bowl spin in the squad. Neither has made the position completely her own, however. Smit is only two matches into her international career and Luus hasn’t scored a half-century in the format since September 2023.

“These tours are not casting [any names] in stone,” Mashimbyi said. “It’s to create depth and to see what other players can do.

“I’ll never count a player out. Everybody in domestic cricket, who has done well, is still eligible to play in the upcoming World Cups.”

Van Niekerk has a batting average of 36.25 and a bowling average of 19.14, with 138 scalps with her legbreaks, in international cricket. She was in solid form for Western Province Women as well in the past season, scoring a 64-ball century against South Western Districts Women in a T20 clash, which was her second-last match of the season. DM

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