Proteas Women out to finally fell imposing Australia during multi-format tour Down Under

There is no better way to start a World Cup year than with a bout against the best team in the world. To gauge one’s state of readiness. That’s exactly what the Proteas Women are doing as they kick start their 2024 with a multi-format tour of Australia on Saturday morning.

This is the same Australia that ruthlessly shattered the dream that South Africans might have had of the country winning its maiden senior cricket World Cup.

A year ago, the Aussies downed the Proteas by 19 runs in the final of the T20 World Cup in Cape Town, to record a third consecutive victory for the team in the decider of the tournament and a sixth world title overall in the shortest format.

South Africa has an opportunity to exact revenge when the two sides clash in a three-match T20 series in Australia between 27 and 30 January. Though a series win is undoubtedly inferior to winning a World Cup, for South Africa it would be a massive milestone.

The team is still searching for its first win over Australia, across all formats. In previous encounters, the Proteas have suffered 14 defeats in 15 one-day internationals (ODIs). The team’s best result came in the shape of a tied match in November 2016.

In the shorter format, the Australians have amassed seven wins in their previous seven encounters against South Africa, including that success in the final of the T20 World Cup at Newlands Stadium.

The last time these two nations faced off in T20 cricket on Australian soil, South Africa suffered a heartbreaking five-run loss via the Duckworth Lewis Stern method in the semifinal of the 2020 World Cup.

Formidable Aussies

Proteas skipper Laura Wolvaardt — who enjoyed a wonderful time in Australia in late 2023 as she helped the Adelaide Strikers beat Brisbane Heat to win the Women’s Big Bash League — is cognisant of the mammoth task that awaits the South Africans Down Under.

“It will be a big challenge. They are the world champions and it’s their own backyard. But we’ve prepared well and hopefully it goes alright,” Wolvaardt said ahead of the opening T20 encounter.

“They’ve just been very consistent for a long period of time. Playing in the Big Bash, I see how they work. They work very hard at their skills, so it’s well deserved,” the 24-year-old stated.

“They do work very hard, and they are very good cricketers. But it’ll just be about us playing our best cricket on the day. We’re a very talented group as well. So, if we play our best cricket, it should all come together,” she concluded.

Proteas veteran Chloe Tryon is making a return to the national team setup for the first time since appearing during South Africa’s fruitful tussle with New Zealand in October 2023. During that series, South Africa were 2-1 victors in the ODIs, before drawing the rain-affected T20 clash 1-1.

Chloe Tryon of South Africa during her squad's clash with Governor General's XI at North Sydney Oval on 24 January, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Having recovered from the groin injury that had sidelined her over the last couple of months and saw her miss the Proteas’ battle with Bangladesh in December — Tryon says she and her teammates will have to play out of their skin if they are to have any hopes of upsetting the world’s top-ranked side.

“You’re playing the number one team in the world. So obviously you want to be playing your best. We have to raise the bar a little bit more and make sure we’re playing at 200%. We know they’re going to come hard at us, especially with a T20 World Cup around the corner. It’s going to be really good prep for us,” said the 30-year-old belligerent batter.

“We have to make sure that we’re doing the right things, playing our own game, good brand of cricket, and making sure our fielding is on par. As you can see, Australia is a very strong side and they do well in the field. So, we need to make sure in all departments we’re firing.”

The first T20 match kicks off at 1:45am SA time, on 27 January. The second encounter takes place at the same time a day later. The final T20 will be played on Tuesday, 30 January, with a 10am start.

A three-match ODI contest will commence on 3 February and culminate a week later. There is also room for the first-ever Test between the two nations, which will be played between 15 and 18 February. DM