Monitoring Desk
CAPE TOWN: South Africa women have named their squad for their first-ever Test match against Australia.
South Africa will finish their tour of Australia with a one-off Test in Perth. Despite encountering each other on numerous occasions in white-ball cricket, this will be their first-ever meeting in the Test format.
Laura Wolvaardt will lead the team. The side features experienced faces like Marizanne Kapp and Chloé Tryon.
Six of the 14-member squad have earned their maiden call-up to the Test format. The group includes top-order batter Tazmin Brits, and wicketkeeper Mieke de Ridder, in addition to seamers Ayanda Hlubi and Masabata Klaas. All-rounders Eliz-Mari Marx and Delmi Tucker also feature.
South Africa last played in a Test match against England in Taunton in 2022 that ended in a draw.
Squad: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Chloé Tryon, Delmi Tucker
South Africa coach Hilton Moreeng looked at the Australia Test as a great opportunity.
“It’s a great opportunity for us as a team, it’s another one in a while again, so I think especially with the youngsters, they’re very excited to challenge themselves and to test their skills in the longer format and in women’s cricket, it hasn’t been something we’ve been familiar with.
“We’ve had an opportunity to prepare for it and playing in an iconic stadium, it’s an opportunity that every youngster wants to grab and test their skills against, so it’s exciting times for women’s cricket and one we’re looking forward to as a team,” said Moreeng.
In the ongoing tour, the Proteas have competed in a three-game T20I series and are currently engaged in a three-match ODI series against hosts Australia.
They lost the T20I series 2-1, while the ODIs are presently tied at 1-1. The side has already created history on this tour, as they secured their first-ever T20I and ODI wins against Australia.
