BECOME A PATRON

By Khalid Mohidin

Hey, guys! Welcome to Cricket Fanatics Magazine. I would like to welcome you to the first and only fan-driven Cricket publication in South Africa.

I started this venture on 1 July 2019 with a vision to get fans from all walks of life engaged with the game and the personalities in cricket.

We want to tell the untold stories of South African cricket and we want fans to be heard.

Since we started, we covered the Mzansi Super League, Women’s Super League, Proteas Men and Women International Test, ODI and T20I series, as well as school and club cricket, with the aim of providing entertaining, engaging and educational content.

But hasn’t stopped there.

We started a Monthly Magazine where we provide multi-media content, including exclusive features, opinion pieces and analysis.

This works hand-in-hand with our YouTube channel where we produce unique cricket shows that allow fans to call in and have their say. 

We have the Daily Show, which reveals all the major talking points in South African cricket.The Sunday Podcast Show where we sit back, relax and engage with the live chat, answering all the questions fans have about us and the game.

We have Off-Side Maidens, the first ever All-Women’s Cricket Show on YouTube, which helps empower women in cricket and gives them a place to share their own views on not only women’s cricket but all cricket.

We have a Legends show, where we interview all legends in cricket.

To produce all of this, we’ve invested a lot of money, time and effort to bring this to you for free.

But to keep this going we need your help. So we have opened a Patreon account.

Today, we are fortunate that technology has enabled anyone to become a patron of creative work, even if they are not a billionaire.

We have therefore launched a campaign for you as a Cricket Fan to become a patron and support us as an independent, bootstrapped publisher.

As a Patron, you also get your voice heard as a Fan.

Plus: You have the opportunity to become more engaged with the content we produce.

Every month we produce at least:

• 60 Website Articles
• 20 Daily Video Shows
• 4 Weekly Podcasts
• Match Previews
• Match Reviews
• Video Interviews
• And more…

So please join our Patreon campaign today.

Suné Luus: Paving her own way as captain

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

Dané van Niekerk and Suné Luus have more in common than just their names rhyming. They both hail from Pretoria, are middle-order batters, and bowl quality leg-spin – an art in cricket that is extremely difficult to master.

Luus will now follow in her teammate’s footsteps by leading the national team at a 50-over World Cup — following Van Niekerk’s 2017 reign as captain of the Proteas women’s team at the showpiece event held in England.

Regular captain, Van Niekerk, sustained a freak injury – slipping and falling on a wet surface at home, fracturing her ankle in the process – which opened the door for Luus to captain the team, a position she is not unaccustomed to.

Luus stood in for Van Niekerk against Pakistan last year and then again in the recently concluded ODI series against the West Indies.

“She plays a big role in our team as a player and as a leader so it’s not ideal to not have her at the biggest tournament, but I think we’ve shown in the past couple of series that we can still win without a couple of big name players.

"I’m hoping that would be the case this tournament as well,” said Luus about how the team will handle not having Van Niekerk at the World Cup.

Despite many avid followers of the team assuming that Luus would be the incumbent, Luus confesses that she was “surprised” to be announced as captain of the national team.

“This is a big surprise that came at a late stage but it’s a big privilege and an honour to do this. It’s something I’ve dreamt about since I was a little girl and I never thought it would be happening anytime soon so I’m very excited and I just appreciate the team and the management staff trusting me with this big responsibility,” said Luus.

Luus, who has captained the team on 20 previous occasions in ODI cricket, believes that the experience she has gained as acting captain will stand her in good stead for the forthcoming World Cup.

“[The experience] helped build trust between me and the players and the management staff as well and it gave me an idea of what works for the team and what doesn’t and what I can do to help the team and what my leadership style can bring to the team so it’s helped in preparation so we’ll see how this tournament goes,” she said.

Luus finds it hard to describe her captaincy style but her goal is to remain as calm as possible, regardless of the pressure situations around her.

“I think when the captain’s calm then obviously the players will feed off that and there will be no frantic stages,” she says.

Learning from the past

In the previous edition of the 50-over event, the Proteas reached the semi-finals of the 2017 tournament before they were beaten by eventual champions, hosts England.

In 2019, at the T20 World Cup the Proteas once again reached the semi-finals and lost to eventual champions, hosts Australia, with rain heavily dampening the outcome of the match.

Luus is hoping for a change of fortune this time around.

“Being the winners of this World Cup will be very successful for us but I think we have always fallen short at the semi-finals so I think that is the benchmark for us at the moment. The finals is the ultimate goal, I think that would constitute a successful campaign,” she said.

The upcoming World Cup will be held in New Zealand where conditions could favour the way South Africa play, according to Luus. The green, seam friendly pitches are similar to the wickets found in South Africa.

“We’ve got a World Class seam attack. Hopefully the conditions will favour us. We’ve got a great batting lineup too, but we still have to adapt to whatever we get. We’ve got a variety of players in a variety of roles, we have the players to adapt to the conditions,” said Luus.

The Proteas were successful in their previous visit to New Zealand, which will fill them with confidence going into the showpiece event.

“We’ve played a series here last year against New Zealand on some of the grounds we’re going to play at now (at the World Cup) and we’ve been very successful,” said Luus.

The Proteas are currently ranked number two in the ODI rankings but will not feel any pressure going into the tournament as one of the favourites, according to Luus.

“We’ve been going about our business very silently and I think we have managed to secure that number two ranking.

"I think we’re just going to do the same that we’ve been doing in the past couple of series and just focus on our team and our basics and our goals and then hopefully the result will take care of itself,” she said.

Padding up

Luus, the batter, has occupied almost every role in the line-up – from one to nine.

She has recently, however, found a home in the number four spot, a position she has an exceptional batting average of 42,66 in her seven previous appearances in the position.

She occupied the role with aplomb in the four match series against the West Indies before the World Cup as she registered scores of 6, 46, 56 and 47 in the position.

Now she turns her attention to leading the team to World Cup glory, by continuing her good run of form as well as by being clinical in her decision making as captain of the Proteas Women team.

Welcoming new challenges and maximizing potential - Shabnim Ismail

By Abhai Sawker

The Proteas women have improved in leaps and bounds over the course of the recent years, with each international assignment being an opportunity to confidently move up the ladder one rung at a time.

One of the stars of the show for South Africa has been the experienced seamer, Shabnim Ismail.

In West Indies series before the team's departure to New Zealand, Ismail took consecutive 4-wicket hauls in the 3rd and 4th ODIs which helped the Proteas bounce back from an early hiccup to flip the script and score a priceless series victory.

Known to be one of the quickest bowlers in the setup, Ismail is full of appreciation for all the headway up to this point, including strong contributions from several of her teammates.

“Heading into the World Cup, I think we’ve done well to gel together as a team and then win the series, which was most important since we need the momentum before the big tournament,” said Ismail to Cricket Fanatics Magazine.

“Given that I had just recovered from an injury, I felt that I needed game time to become more match-fit. Over the last couple of years, we’ve made plenty of progress and I’m really excited about where we are now.”

Returning to the field from the sidelines wasn’t easy, and Ismail is grateful for the extended time spent out in the middle. It’s the impassioned approach that’s yielded frequent success for the diminutive but determined fast bowler.

Every match presents a challenge in itself, and it’s important to be up to the task and give it your all.

More recently, Ismail has been adding to her variations in order to further enhance her skill set.

While she possesses brisk pace to hustle the opposition batters, bowling towards the back end of the innings can often be tricky. And Ismail is, unsurprisingly, doing all she can to leave no stone unturned.

“Game time was key, as well as spending time together as a team. We prepare year-round for events like this, so just to go out there and show our talent feels great," she explained. 

"Our trainer has been working closely with me, but I feel happy about my game so far. At the moment, I’ve been working on my death bowling and trying to get more wickets early on, too. And every game I play is a very important learning opportunity - I treat each game as if it were a World Cup knockout match.”

With 213 matches for SA, Ismail is the most seasoned cricketer in the side - but out of the 213, there’s only one Test match.

As intense a character she is on the field, Ismail always tries to keep it simple. It’s definitely an honor to be a professional cricketer and don the national jersey, and at this stage, she’s planning on maximizing her potential.

The hunger for more and more success has always been there since her early cricketing days, but the constant desire to better herself is what keeps her going.

From international cricket to the WBBL to the Hundred, the 33-year-old continues to bring versatility and experience to the table, and continues to create a positive impression.

“Having played for the Proteas for around 15 years, one thing I’ve learned is captaining my own space and being professional both on and off the field. I’ve been playing strong cricket in the last couple of years and I aim to peak in the next couple of years," said Ismail. 

"A decade and a half is a very long time but then again, you mature a lot in your game and I feel I’ve done well there. At the end of the day, it’s all about living the dream, enjoying the game, and having fun with the girls.”

“Many say that the World Cup can make us nervous, but for me, it boils down to how you show your skills," she added.

"We train hard leading up to the tournament and we want to make a statement when we’re playing against some of the best teams in the world. I’m really pumped for the girls, and to go out there and win it for everyone who’s backed us over the years would mean the world.”

As much as the big tournaments can add to the already existing pressure, Ismail welcomes the tension.

It’s been 5 years since there was a women’s ODI World Cup, and since then, there has been plenty of advancement among the Proteas.

Given that this year’s tournament will be held in seam-friendly New Zealand, there’s hope that SA can start playing clinical cricket right from the get-go and produce the much-needed results.

With a strong combination of youngsters and veterans, there are infinite possibilities.

“The girls are  working harder than ever before” – Laura Wolvaardt

By Emily Norris

At the tender age of 22, Laura Wolvaardt has already played in two T20 Women’s World Cups and one 50-over Women’s World Cup. She has played 66 One Day International matches for the Momentum Proteas, scoring 2482 runs, with 3 centuries and 21 fifties.

Her most recent century came in the third ODI against the West Indies in Johannesburg, just two weeks ago. This knock will give her confidence going into the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand starting on the 4th of March.

Wolvaardt was just 18 years old when she played her first 50-over Women’s World Cup in 2017 in England. Since that tournament she has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge playing cricket all over the world for both her country and overseas league teams.

But how different is Wolvaardt's preparation for a World Cup compared to preparation for a bilateral series?

“Preparation is just a little bit different – just because it’s not like a bilateral series where you play against the same opposition over and over. You play so many games against so many different teams, and every game is against a new team," Wolvaardt said exclusively to Cricket Fanatics Magazine.

"So, prep-wise it’s a bit more work – having to prep for different teams and different players every other day, instead of just knowing what’s going to come at you every game.”

A World Cup involves preparing for every different team that you’re going to face and devising plans for each team and/or player.

Preparation is not limited to just the tactical approach and net sessions, however. World Cups are long tournaments with many games so fitness is vital too.

“The World Cup is a lot of long cricket games relatively back-to-back, and the schedule is quite hectic," she explained

"We play 8 games in a short time, and the World Cup lasts for about two months, so it’s a long time to stay fit.

"I’ve just done a bit of extra fitness work leading up to this World Cup, getting a few more runs in and a few more hours under the legs.”

Wolvaardt has learnt many lessons from previous World Cups when the Momentum Proteas have found themselves in heart-breaking, down-to-the-wire situations.

“Previously we’ve made semi-finals twice – once in the 50-over World Cup and once in a T20 World Cup – that I’ve been a part of. In both of those [tournaments] I learnt a lot as a cricketer, so hopefully in the next one – if we find ourselves in the same situation – I can help get the team over the line.”

Wolvaardt has played in leagues around the world, including the WBBL in Australia and the all-exciting new format in England – The Hundred.

In the WBBL she’s played two seasons for the Brisbane Heat and two for the Adelaide Strikers, and in the inaugural season of The Hundred she played for the Northern Superchargers.

"The overseas leagues have helped me grow as a person and as a cricketer as well. As a person it’s been amazing to be exposed to new experiences, new people and new team environments, and I’ve learnt a lot and grown from that.

"As a cricketer: being able to spend time in different countries and getting to know the conditions a bit better than what you would in a normal overseas series – because you spend a full two months playing on those pitches and on those surfaces and with those players – has helped me grow immensely as a cricketer.

"I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from the overseas leagues, and it’s high-quality, good game time which also helps. Playing overseas has improved my game.”

The Momentum Proteas are a very tight-knit team, and this can be seen through the performances they put on in the field and how they celebrate and enjoy each other’s successes.

“The environment at the moment is very good, very positive. We’ve had 5 series wins in a row now, which has lasted about a year and a half, so everyone is in a good space about their 50-over game.

"We’re all very excited to get out of quarantine so that we can spend time together again. They’re like my family away from home, which I think is crucial, especially for these long three months staying away from home.

"There is great camaraderie in the team – we all enjoy each other’s company and I think enjoying each other’s company off the field helps create a good environment on the field.

"You can’t expect to play well with a bunch of strangers on the field so, just spending time together and enjoying each other’s company has helped us as a group and it’s showing in the performances.”

The Momentum Proteas have their minds set on a World Cup trophy after coming agonisingly close on two occasions.

“We’re here to look to win the World Cup. We’ve come short in a couple of semi-finals in World Cups before, so our goal is to make it past that and to finally reach that ever-elusive final. So hopefully we can do that.

"Everyone is really focused and just focusing on themselves and what they need to do. Everyone is in a positive space and the girls are working harder than ever before, fitness-wise as well. I think we are a lot more prepared for this World Cup than we’ve ever probably been for a World Cup – so it’s very exciting.”

Wolvaardt has been consistent at the top of the order for the Momentum Proteas, with an average of 44.32 in One Day Internationals. She pointed to repetition as a major contributor to her consistency over the years

“I guess for me I just do the same things over and over, for a lot of the time. I don’t like changing things a lot.

"I’m a little bit superstitious in that sense, so if I find something that works for me – like doing a light gym session before the game – Then I’ll probably do that every single time for every single game that comes after. 

"Routines help with having a consistent mindset, and that then translates onto the field. Hopefully I can take that into the World Cup.”

Tazmin Brits an example of mental fortitude needed for World Cup

By Marc Jacobson

A player who knows the drill of playing top-flight sport, besides cricket, and the trials and tribulations that come with it, is wicket-keeper batter Tazmin Brits, who made her ODI debut last year against Pakistan.

The recent series win against the Windies was especially sweet, since they were challenged in different ways and the games having taken place on the eve of the World Cup.

“It was a good moment for us moving forward into the World Cup,” Brits told Cricket Fanatics Magazine.

“The series challenged us mentally – having a game rained out, losing one, winning one and then having to pull it back to win the series.

“It was a huge fight for the team to get us to a Super Over, which gave us a taste of what could happen [in the World Cup],” she said of the only match they lost, losing narrowly in the Super Over as the actual match was tied.

“Having a five-series winning streak is most certainly a positive boost for any team. Going into the competition with this helps to build on our confidence.”

It has garnered some personal rewards as well, Brits continued.

“It is a great feeling knowing I am a part of this and it encourages me to continue striving to do my best, as winning is what will get us to the semi-finals and then final.”

Brits began playing for SA in 2018, but only in the T20I format, having “only been seen as a T20 player” then.

Regardless of these perceptions of her playing style and capabilities, she always strived to make the step-up and represent the Proteas in the 50-over game, which she, much to her delight, achieved last year.

Being selected to take part in her first 50-over World Cup is the realisation of her “dream” after braving periods of set-back.

“It was always on my bucket list to be a 50-over player and to be consistent in the squad. In one’s sporting career the pinnacle is to reach the highest level. This being my first 50-over World Cup is a dream come true,” Brits said.

“This is proof that belief, hard work and dedication does pay off. It has been a journey of ups and downs, with many struggles, but having people who believe in and support you makes it all worthwhile.”

Brits is no stranger to dedicating time and effort towards achieving success in sport at the highest level.

Before cricket, the 31-year-old was a promising javelin thrower, having won gold for SA in the discipline at the 2007 World Youth Championships.

She was also in line to be selected for Team SA ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. A tragic car accident in the lead-up, however, put paid to her Olympic dream as she was hospitalised for a couple of months.

This says a lot about the mental fortitude she possesses, not only to recover from the trauma, but to make a comeback and represent SA in a different sporting code where the competition for top honours has been and is growing by the year.

“Javelin taught me the discipline [needed] in order to work hard and to achieve great heights,” Brits said.

“Nothing comes easily – one day you’re up and the next you’re down.

“You need to put the bad events behind you and continue to work on improving. Cricket challenges you emotionally, physically and morally and being able to work through this comes with a lot of hard work and experience. The more you play, the stronger you get.

“This isn’t always as easy as it seems, but it comes back to being resilient and not giving up,” she assured, with her past experiences serving as a yardstick by which to measure her mental strength.

Covid has brought about different challenges, however, and posed new obstacles for sportsmen and women alike across sporting codes.

Nothing could have prepared the team for the challenges they currently face in their isolation bubbles upon landing in New Zealand, especially for the players, like Brits, who’ve never taken part in a World Cup or even been to New Zealand before.

“That has been a huge challenge on its own, both mentally and physically,” she said.

“Having to remain focused and positive during a 10-day isolation period is not easy.

“Trying to remain active and eat healthy is not always on the cards since our choice of meals aren’t up to us. One can so easily fall into a lethargic and lazy rut.

“You need to focus and talk yourself through some dark moments at times.”

With no team experiencing their isolations differently, or having things any easier than the next side, it will certainly be an even playing field when the World Cup commences.

Brits believes the Proteas outfit have, on numerous occasions in the past, exhibited the sort of tenacity required to win big games against big oppositions.

“The Proteas are resilient and have the fighting spirit to pull a win off,” she said of her thoughts on their chances at the World Cup.

“That’s notwithstanding the fact that we have talented and world-class players in our team. I think any team would like to believe they have a chance of winning the World Cup and SA are no exception.

“That being said, I do believe we can’t rest on our laurels and we will play in each game as if it were a final.”

SA will kick-off their campaign against Bangladesh in Dunedin on March 5, where they’ll take part in a round-robin phase between all the top eight countries in the world before the top four will decide the semi-finals.

Mini Cricket coaches do it for the love – Sinalo Jafta

By Khalid Mohidin

“One of the stories for me from the coaches is the hunger because they do it for the love,” said Proteas wicket-keeper batter, Sinalo Jafta, at the KFC Mini Cricket National Seminar in Limpopo.

Jafta’s coaches were instrumental in shaping her career at a wicket-keeper-batter because they saw potential in her at a time when Jafta was not interested in pursuing a career in cricket.

“I mentioned my first cricket coach. She’s the one that gave me the gloves.” Jafta added, “Coaches know when someone is meant to be a keeper. Coaches pick up patterns.”

Jafta’s journey had her fair share of struggles.

“When she gave it (the gloves) to me, I sucked. I was bad.” In time, however, Jafta’s skill improved. “By the time I was in matric, I was the number one ranked wicket-keeper in schools.”

As Jafta worked towards refining her skill as wicket-keeper and batter, she learned to master her preparation because she needed to balance the time she dedicated to wicket-keeping and batting.

“If you’ve got 45 minutes to an hour, you have to do 30-30. Both are your roles.”

Importantly, Jafta highlighted the importance of mental health and being unafraid to seek out help.

As a professional cricket, it is crucial for players to be in good physical, mental, and emotional health.

Jafta indicated that she sought help after leading the team against Bangladesh, losing matches, and getting injured after that.

Jafta knew she needed help and sought it to get back to the right frame of mind.