How you can help promote SA Cricket

By Khalid Mohidin

Hey, guys! Welcome to another issue of Cricket Fanatics Magazine, the first and only fan-driven Cricket publication in South Africa.

This is a very special announcement that I believe will change the way cricket is supported in South Africa.

We started this venture on 1 July 2019 with a vision to get fans from all walks of life engaged with the game and give them access to the personalities in South African 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 haven'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.

In the past, the super-rich supported the work of artists as patrons of the art.

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

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 today initiative today. Even a tiny amount can make a big difference.

In it to win it – Laura Wolvaardt

By Avuyile Sawula

Over the past decade, women’s cricket in South Africa has made tremendous strides, which has given the team traction and support from cricket lovers all around the country.

To date, the Momentum Proteas have appeared in three World Cup semi-finals, falling short in 2000, 2017, and 2022.

Along the way, the ladies have etched themselves in the history books after competing in the first-ever T20 competition at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham before playing to a draw against England in their maiden Test match in Taunton.

In saying so, Hilton Moreeng’s side will have another opportunity to correct their World Cup shortcomings this year when they host the Women’s T20 showpiece for the first time on African soil.

One particular player who has been impressive for the team and is eager for the highly anticipated event is the versatile Laura Wolvaardt.

Wolvaardt made her T20 debut in 2016 against Ireland in Dublin and has since scored 849 runs in 43 innings with an average of 28.30.

Speaking exclusively to Cricket Fanatics Magazine, the top-order batter opened up about her career and expressed how excited and thrilled she was to be playing in a home World Cup.

“It’s massive! I think having a home World Cup is something that maybe happens once in your life as a cricketer if you’re lucky, so to be able to play in front of all my family and everyone I know will be special,” Wolvaardt said.

“I’ve never played at Newlands for South Africa, so having that first match at a World Cup is just the cherry on top.”

Wolvaardt, who was born and raised in the Mother City, attended Parklands College and says her first encounter with cricket dates back to the age of five.

She recalls falling in love with the sport instantly after featuring in the boy’s team until grade nine when she discovered girls' cricket.

“I grew up in Cape Town and went to school at Parklands College, and I was friends with a lot of boys when I was like five years old,” she revealed.

“I used to tag along with them when they would play cricket, and that’s how I fell in love with the game. I just played with boys until about grade nine, and then I finally discovered that other girls play cricket too, and when I was 14, I went to girls' trails, and the rest is history.”

The rest was indeed history, as two years later, at the tender age of 16, Wolvaardt would receive her first call-up to the national side, making her ODI debut in a seven-wicket loss to England.

She admits that getting her breakthrough early has enabled her to gain experience on the international stage.

“It’s quite a fortunate position to be in because I’m only 23 now, but I’ve played quite a lot of international cricket.

“I mean, to have the experience at my age is quite cool. I think most people only make their debut in their early 20s, so I’m very lucky to have played for South Africa for so long already.”

Wolvaardt, who was named in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year for 2022 after a stellar year, began her career solely focused on ODI cricket. However, when the opportunity to play for the T20 side presented itself, she took it with both hands.

She admits, though, that the transition from 50-over cricket to the shorter format of the game wasn’t easy, and she expressed how delighted she was to be featured in the ICC Women’s TOTY.

“It’s amazing to be part of the team; one of my life goals is to be ICC player of the year one day, so being part of the team is a step in the right direction,” said Wolvaardt.

“I think it’s just nice to know that you’ve been contributing to your team and being recognised on a global level; it’s a nice accolade, and I’m very happy about it.”

The transition from ODI to T20:

“I started my career very much as an ODI player, and there’s a lot I still need to work on to be successful in the T20 game.”

“I worked a lot on my power game, just thinking about different options and different shot options, and it took a little while, but slowly I’m starting to get the hang of T20 cricket.

“It’s not where I want it to be; there are still a couple of things I want to change and add to my game, but I’m happy to be able to contribute to the T20 side as well, and it does help my ODI game as well.”

Wolvaardt, arguably one of the most experienced players entering the World Cup, has not only played in South Africa.

In recent years, she’s spread her wings, featuring in various T20 leagues around the world for the Adelaide Strikers, Velocity, and Northern Superchargers.

She reveals all she's learned from playing in different countries and how that has helped improve her game.

“It’s always great going to different countries and seeing how they go about their cricket,” she said.

“I’ve learned a lot from the leagues, especially conditions wise because when you spend two months of every year in Australia in the last couple of years, you get to know the conditions quite well, and that certainly helps for future tours over there.

“You get to know the players and get to know how they play their cricket, so that also helps when you have to face them again in international cricket.

"You meet new people, new coaches, and seeing how they go about their business is cool for me; it’s been an amazing experience.”

The Cape Town-born also revealed her interest in being included in the inaugural women’s IPL competition set to begin this year.

However, her main focus now is on the World Cup and helping the team go the extra mile after their previous shortcomings.

“I’m sure everyone wants to be part of the IPL; it looks amazing, but my focus is on the World Cup.

“Our last three campaigns, we made the semi-finals, so to get that far every time and not go the extra mile has been frustrating, but hopefully we’ve been in that position enough now that we don’t mess it up now.

“We’ve identified what went wrong, and hopefully if we find ourselves in the same position, it won’t happen again.”

The Momentum Proteas will kick off their campaign with a clash against Sri Lanka at Newlands on Friday, 19:00.

Wolvaardt urges fans to come out in numbers and come support the showpiece.

“I hope that a lot of people come. I saw the SA20; the vibes look incredible, and I wish I was able to go to some of the games,” she said.

“So, hopefully, we get a similar crowd and a similar atmosphere, it would be special,” she concluded.

Momentum Proteas T20 World Cup fixtures:
Sri Lanka – 10 February – Newlands Cricket Ground at 19:00
New Zealand – 13 February – Boland Park at 19:00
Australia – 18 February – St Georges Park, Gqeberha at 19:00
Bangladesh – 21 February – Newlands Cricket Ground at 19:00 

"The game has grown immensely" – Yolandi Van Der Westhuizen

By Abhai Sawkar

Since your time as a player, what do you feel has improved in women’s cricket?

What I feel has improved in the women’s game since my playing days is the support structure that’s in place, the opportunities, and the publicity. During my time, social media wasn’t so big, and now there’s a lot more exposure for women cricketers, which is a positive.

Is there anything from your time as a cricketer that isn’t being implemented when it comes to the current generation?

Kids these days are different relative to how we were. There was more focus, and a lot of things were set in stone. We were more disciplined and there were different criteria compared to what’s there now. I can’t really say one way was better than the other, but the generation changes have definitely created an impact.

How do you feel the women’s game has grown and developed over the years?

The game has grown immensely, without a doubt. The publicity that women’s cricket has been getting has been very helpful, as there are now more and more women involved in coaching as well in the financial scene.

I believe that this has changed many things for the better in the sporting world, especially women getting lead positions and displaying leadership skills. Parents are encouraging their daughters to play sports as a result of this, which is nice to see.

What do you make of the inaugural Women’s U19 World Cup? And how would you assess how the Proteas have done?

The Women’s U19 World Cup was a fantastic event. This is something that cricket has missed for a while, as there hasn’t been a whole lot for the younger age groups to work towards. It will improve the participation in women’s and girls’ cricket, and it will boost the game.

I think the Proteas are a phenomenal bunch of youngsters, and I personally worked with them at one camp. I can only imagine the nerves they felt, given that it was their first World Cup.

The support and energy Dinesha Devnarain has put in has paid off. They missed out because of net run rate, and that’s a bit unfortunate, as it would’ve been nice to see how they’d have done in the playoffs.

What would you say impressed you the most, based on all the talented youngsters you’ve seen in the Women’s U19 World Cup?

What impressed me the most from the youngsters was their eagerness to learn and adapt. They take in so much and they want to try a lot of different things. Seeing how they handled pressure and mentally strengthened as a result was great to see.

Whom all would you say will be the key players for the upcoming T20 World Cup?

From our current side, I think Chloe Tryon will have a big impact for us as a power-hitter, whether we’re looking to set a big score or finish a chase. Annerie Dercksen is a very exciting player, and she’s a wonderful youngster to have in the side.

Marizanne Kapp, of course, is the experienced allrounder, and Shabnim Ismail will spearhead the bowling attack. Ayabonga Khaka has been in excellent form as of late.

Among the other teams, Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey are two to look out for. Capsey was brilliant in the WBBL not too long ago. Vishmi Gunaratne, the Sri Lanka U19 captain, has a lot of potential. The Kerr sisters are great at what they do, and Bernadine Bezuidenhout - who used to stay in South Africa - is another player to watch out for.

Finally, what do you feel about the frequency of women’s Tests? At the moment, it's very occasional but it’s evident that teams have the talent depth to succeed in the longest format of the game.

If we look at how fast the game has become and the fact that a lot of players are playing so many T20 tournaments, and because of the body being able to handle the shortest format of the game on a regular basis, I’m not certain about how frequent Test cricket will be in the women’s game.

I think something along the lines of the Ashes would go on, and maybe the odd tour or two. I enjoy Test cricket, but given how the generation has changed, it doesn’t look like the level of interest in Tests would be very big. People enjoy the excitement and flair that T20 brings, especially in women’s cricket.

The Sustainability in Women's Cricket

By Lubabalo Skhosana 

The sustainability of any senior team or sport in general relies heavily on what happens at grassroots level and this is no different with women’s cricket.

Eastern Province senior women’s team and EP U19 girls team coach, Robin du Plessis is one of few coaches in the country that have seen a need for an intervention to try aid women’s cricket.

In a year where South Africa has played host to the Inaugural U19 girls T20 World Cup and will play host to the senior women’s T20 cricket World Cup, the country’s developmental systems were somewhat bound to be challenged.

In January of the current year, Eastern Province Cricket held a 3-day game camp from the 13th to the 15th. Coach Robin, the organiser of the camp, says the main idea behind the camp was, “To look at the pool of players within the province. Also for players to realize that there individuals who wants to represent EP as well.”

It is crucial that provinces have an idea of the talent pool they have, what they need to grow the pool or to improve the quality of the pool. This is something coach has picked up. He now has an idea what needs to be done and how, he also has an idea of what his overall talent pool is.

This is not only good for the province only but, for the country’s cricket overall. The camp was attended by just over 30 players and about 4-6 qualified coaches.

Apart from just seeing what needs to be done to grow and improve the talent pool around him, Coach Robin was also able to spot a couple of girls he had never seen before seen.

He also believes that the camp was a success and his one take away from the camp is, “I realized there's a hunger to grow the women's game in the province and we have lots talented young individuals.”

As someone who was one of the guest coaches there, I can attest to this. Seeing coaches coming through for the whole three days and maintaining high energy levels. Also seeing young girls attending and enjoying the camp really said that there is indeed hunger to grow women’s cricket in the province.

The camp started with a fitness day that most girls were not really fond of but, they enjoyed it because it exposed them to what happens to women’s cricket players who play at the highest level.

A fitness test on day one followed by skills sessions on day two and a match on 3rd and final day.

Coach Robin has done well with a relatively young EP side and the camp was a great initiative that was enjoyed by both the coaches there and the players.

The future and or growth of women’s cricket in the country may very well lie on small initiatives like the camp coach Robin had. After our chat about the camp, I asked coach some interesting coaching related questions in a short Q&A.

If you were director of cricket for a day, what changes would you make to women’s cricket in the country?

I do feel we need to play more cricket provincially but hoping that changes in next few years.

With the women’s world cup coming up, what would you say to the ladies if you were their coach?

Playing in a World Cup is an honour and there's no better place to showcase your talent. You've done the hard bit on being part of this showpiece so trust yourself to excel.

Many people believe there is a difference between coaching men and coaching women, what would you say is the most important thing to note when coaching women?

You need to gain understanding of your players – you just need to ask a few simple questions like, ‘How are you doing today?’ and, ‘Is this a good day to push hard, or do we need to back off a bit?

These coach-player conversations are even more significant with women and go a long way to building trust.

Coach Robin also believes that women’s cricket in the country is on the right track and that it is growing quite rapidly, both in SA and globally.

Women’s Cricket: The harsh truth we all turn a blind eye to

By Ongama Gcwabe

There are still women abandoning their professional cricket careers for a nine-to-five because there is just not enough to make a living from the sport.

It is widely known that not until recently, the top women cricketers in South Africa have been on Cricket South Africa’s payroll.

The year was 2014 when 14 national contracts were presented in women’s cricket. Before that, women were merely playing ‘for the love of the game’.

Nine years on, the contracts have become more respectful in terms of weight but there are still talented women walking away from the sport.

Stories have been told by the players themselves. Holding a day job and going to practice for an international series after clocking off, was a common reality in women’s cricket not so long ago.

As common as those stories were, only a few hung on to their cricket careers and ambitions long enough to see the light of day. Due to a host of different reasons and circumstances, most players simply accepted reality and moved on from the game.

Sibongiseni Ndunana is one of the three former Eastern Province Women cricketers that received contract offers from South Western Districts last winter. It was her first ever contract in the sport, at nearly 30 years old.

A few months into her contract in the green and white of the now-called Garden Route Badgers, Sibongile brought an end to her professional career when she received a more lucrative offer in her field of study, Logistics.

“We used to receive a stipend of R1,600 from EP Cricket at some point. Being passionate about the game, I chose to juggle both the cricket and the job I had at the time,” said Ndunana in an exclusive interview with Cricket Fanatics Magazine.

At 30, time becomes a serious concept in terms of having a financially free future. Like many would, she grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

“I called the coach as soon as I made the decision that I’m moving on and communicated my reasons for moving on from the game. I couldn’t ignore the opportunity to better my life and that of my family," Ndunana added.

It is a tough pill to swallow because the sport is losing. In many ways, it’s a catastrophe that this is still the case in Women’s cricket.

Perhaps it is a catastrophe only because we all have not been listening to the many calls the women have made over the years about equality and fairness between the men and women game.

It was just last year that the experienced Dane van Niekerk called for professionalism in the women’s game. Van Niekerk highlighted how big a gap there was between domestic cricketers and international cricketers, which really shouldn’t be the case in some respects.

“I still show up for my local club Coega Titans when time allows” she concluded.

There are many more at the Provincial level who had to take the decision Ndunana had to take.

Despite her still playing club cricket, this is a topic that needs attention.

The women’s game needs to be looked after from the ground up to ensure the talent keeps coming through to the national sides.

Reflecting On The Lessons South Africa Can Learn From India

By Aditya Mehta

“Women’s cricket needs promotion, so far it has been done mainly through T20s and ODIs” – Mithali Raj, Test and ODI captain of the Indian women’s national cricket team.

Sometimes, cricket is more than the technicalities of the game. Cricket is more than the nature of the domestic structure. Cricket is also bigger than the talent pool available in a country. Sometimes, we need to think about cricket in terms of access.

In reflecting on the lessons the South African women’s game can learn from India, this piece will assess key moments in the recent history of women’s cricket in India, and argue how better access to the game made the public fall in love with women’s cricket, ultimately pushing administrators to incorporate a professional structure that would help develop the women’s game in India.

Women’s cricket, over the last decade, has witnessed remarkable growth. The 2022 Women’s World Cup had a global TV audience of 104.8 million people, compared to a total of 82.8 million TV viewers in 2020.

The total viewing hours reached 215.2 million, which was a 47.7% increase compared to 2020. According to India’s Broadcasting Audience Research Council (BARC), 74.8 million Indians watched the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2020. 42.6 million of these viewers were male, while 32.2 million viewers were female.

The dramatic increase in public interest in women’s cricket has led to the announcement of the Women’s Indian Premier League, whose media rights were recently sold to Viacom 18 for US$ 117 million.

Up until that point, the most successful women’s cricket event was the ICC World Cup in 2017, which garnered a tenth of the viewership that the 2020 World Cup received.

Women’s cricket in India, in my experience thus far, has been in the news because of key contributions made to the game by stalwarts such as Anjum Chopra, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and now, Harmanpreet Kaur.

While their performances were recognized, the public did not have avenues to watch Indian women cricketers showcase their skill. With broadcasters such as Star India and the video streaming platform, Hotstar, offering easy access to follow women’s cricket, its popularity has grown significantly, and ensured that the BCCI has put in place a professional structure that equips cricketers to perform on the world stage.

Historically, whenever individuals and cricket teams have produced noteworthy performances in ICC tournaments, public interest in the game has increased. Kapil Dev’s 175 against Zimbabwe in 1983 World Cup in England, which India went on to win, was a watershed moment in Indian cricket history, inspiring millions of young men to pursue the game professionally.

Similarly, almost two million New Zealanders tuned in to watch the Black Caps in the 2015 World Cup final, offering their support to an aggressive brand of cricket ushered in by Brendon McCullum.

In the Indian women’s game, Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten 171 was important to women’s cricket in India because it gave the Indian public a glimpse into the talent on offer.

The new level of popularity that Indian women’s cricket gained in the last few years has professionalized the game. Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Indian T20 team explained: “Earlier there used to be a huge difference between a domestic player and what is expected at the international level.

"But now, some 30 girls are given individual programs by the BCCI. As we keep improving our domestic level, the performances at the international level will improve.”

For instance, fitness camps are now a regular feature at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore in an effort to ensure that the Indian women’s team is at par with the fitness levels of the Australian and English teams, which Kaur conceded was a product of far more sophisticated domestic structures in Australia and England.

There is also a concerted attempt to elevate the Indian team’s fielding standards. Kaur reflected that the Indian team often practiced in the day, while major tournaments are often day/night fixtures, which the team has been unaccustomed to.

Playing more games under lights have slowly, but surely, improved the team’s fielding. Nurturing the talent we have at our disposal has led to superlative performances on the international stage, capturing the attention of the cricket-loving Indian public.

The sustained interest of the Indian public in the women’s game has ensured the administrators invest heavily in the development of women cricketers.

In addition to South Africa 4 other South African cricketers (Mignon du Preez, Laura Wolvaardt, Nadine de Klerk and Trisha Chetty), are highly sought-after in the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia.

The exposure to international leagues has improved their games. Now, South Africa need to find a way to showcase their talent to the South African public.

From a broadcasting perspective, Cricket South Africa has partnered with Star India till the end of the 2023/24 cricket season to televise South Africa’s games, in addition to playing them on digital mediums.

Meanwhile, within South Africa, Cricket South Africa and the South African Broadcasting Corporation have finalised a deal to present live cricket on television and radio. To increase access to cricket in South Africa, it is vitally important for Cricket South Africa to explore platforms beyond television and radio.

Millions of Indians watch live cricket on the Hotstar app on their phones. The opening game of the IPL in 2020 had a total of 200 million viewers on TV and Hotstar combined.

These are staggering numbers. Looking at the Indian model of cricket consumption, Cricket South Africa has an opportunity to take cricket into the smartphones of the local population.

In 2014, 9.7 million South Africans were using smartphones. In 2021, 24.5 million people are using smartphones, and that number is expected to rise to 26.3 million in 2023.

South Africans accessing cricket on their phones will, undoubtedly, elevate the interest in the women’s game, and inspire more young girls to pursue cricket professionally.

In conclusion, Cricket South Africa has a responsibility to deliver cricket to as many South Africans as they possibly can. If the South African public is deeply invested in the game, there will be pressure on administrators to hone the plethora of talent in the country.

Former Australian captain, Ian Chappell, once said: “Most young cricketers take up the game because they adopt a hero.” Let us find ways to give young South African girls avenues to watch their women cricket team’s idols.

Q&A: Madison Landsman

By Jessica & Janine October

You were the first girl to start playing cricket in the boys’ cricket team in primary school. How did this come about?

I was playing cricket in the back garden with my dad when his friend came over to visit to let us know he was going to start coaching cricket at my primary school. He saw me bowl a bit and said I should come try out, even though no girls played at school. I was 11 so I tried out for the boys u11 team and made it.

You captained the U19 Easterns girls’ team at the CSA U19 Girls National Week, finished as one of the tournament’s top run scorers and wicket takers, and became the only player of the team to be selected for the SA U19 schools team. Being only 17 years old at the time, what were your thoughts?

My main goal for the whole week was to make the SA schools team. My first U19 week was rained out in 2019, then the next was cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic. I’ve always wanted to do as well as possible and I knew the best way to measure that would be by making the team. It meant a lot to me because it felt like ages of hard work was paying off.

How has your time at the WSL, being selected at such a young age, played a significant role in developing your game as an all-rounder?

It helped me a lot in a bowling sense, because in my first WSL in 2020 I only really bowled. I got to bowl to some great teammates like Laura Wolvaardt in the nets and to more Proteas in games so it helped me develop the way I approached my bowling. I learnt a lot from them and the way they carried themselves on the field as well as their work ethics.

It gave me a taste of the next level and make me want to make it to the top even more. The 2022 WSL also taught me a lot, I think the WSL is a great place for young players to learn from such strong teammates and opponents and just overall improve their game.

 You made history at the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup where you were the first woman to take a hat trick against Scotland U19s. What were your thoughts and feelings around this momentous achievement?

It was an incredible feeling that’s quite hard to put into words. I felt like I was in a bit of a dream when it happened. I was just so happy and my teammates were as well, they made it even more exciting they were just so happy for me. The buzz was incredible. It was an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

What was your team's preparation for the WC like? Was the team given sufficient time?

We only had a few months, so from the beginning of 2022 to prepare for the World Cup. The 18-player squad was only announced in July, but the team clicked instantly and it felt as though we had been together for ages. We had a couple of training camps leading up to the World Cup, as well a series’ against Namibia, Zimbabwe, the WSL and against India.

What was your experience working with Dinesha Devnarain?

Working with Coach Dinesha was an absolute privilege. Coach taught me so many things along the way, she’s made me think of cricket in so many different ways and made me grow my perspective on the game.

She pushed us to find completely new limits, she never let anything feel easy and she prepared us for anything that the World Cup would have to throw at us. She made us strong and gave us the tools we needed to go into the World Cup.

There were a lot of highs but there were also many many lows, which she taught us even more lessons through, she helped through a lot of tough series’s and she never once gave up on me or the team. Coach helped me grow my game as a whole and I’m very grateful that she was our coach.

What has your experience been like at the U19 WC tournament? What have you learned, what can you take with you going into your future in cricket?

This World Cup was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I learned so much about the sport through games, trainings, meetings etc it was incredible. From the beginning I wanted to go in and learn, that was something I was really excited about, and I did just that.

I learnt a lot about my game and the sport as a whole, I learnt more about myself as a batter and developed my way of thinking and approach to batting so much. The entire thing was just amazing I loved every bit of it.

Thoughts on the upcoming women’s T20 cricket World Cup taking place in South Africa, and what it means to women’s cricket development in the country?

I’m very excited, it’s always exciting having a home World Cup, it’s something that definitely doesn’t happen often. I think it means a lot for growing the sport for women in our country, giving it more coverage and getting it out there more, showing more girls what it’s about and how enjoyable it is, and just getting more and more people involved so it can grow.

Coming out of the U19 World Cup I’ve realised how it got so many people into watching cricket that have never watched it before, so I’m sure the upcoming women’s World Cup in SA will bring even more people into the game.

Favourite cricketer(s)?

AB De Villiers, Ellyse Perry, Laura Wolvaardt

Top 3 series you’re following?

The women's Tri-series between South Africa, West Indies and India, the Aus vs Pakistan women's series, and South Africa vs England men’s series.

Who/What motivates you the most?

Becoming one of the best players in the world is one of my biggest motivations.

Favourite food?

My mom's chicken lasagna

What is your Favourite shot to play as a batter?

The AB de Villiers lap/scoop/sweep shot over the shoulder

Fans will see that women’s cricket is a big thing – Leah Jones

By Emily Norris

Leah Jones calls on us as a nation to come out in numbers to support the Proteas women in this year’s T20 World Cup at home.

The 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup is being held in South Africa this year. The opening game of the tournament is on Friday 10 February, between Sri Lanka and the home side, at the iconic Newlands Cricket Ground.

We caught up with captain of the Western Province ladies’ side, who gave us a glimpse of her journey so far, and what she’s looking forward to about this World Cup.

Jones has been captain of the team for a year now, being appointed in February last year, and we asked her how captaining has helped her improve her game.

“It’s helped me to have a stronger mindset, because when things get tough or when we are in pressure situations, I still have to make decisions and I still have to make good decisions in those moments.

"So, mentally it has helped a lot in terms of the way I think about how the game must go.

"[When it comes to being] on the field, and in terms of my performances, I think it has helped me to own the space that I am in – captain my own space, if I can put it that way.

"It has helped me take control of what I need to do in certain moments."

We asked her how the captaincy came about, and what she enjoys most about captaining Western Province.

“I just got a video call from Claire [Terblanche] one day. I think what happened was that Andrie Steyn was being called up to play for South Africa, so we didn’t know how often she was going to be at Province.

"Claire said she wanted someone that would be around a lot for now, so she called me, and asked if I wanted to take over the captaincy. She said I could have a day or two to think about it, but I immediately said yes over the phone. Because who wouldn’t want to captain any side that you play in, especially [when you have] such helpful teammates.

"What I enjoy most about captaining WP, is the people I play with. I enjoy having such easy-going people, and also having [so many] national players [in the team], who help me a lot.

"[As a result], my knowledge grows while captaining a team, which is amazing. Having them around also makes my job easier, because they feed off onto the rest of the team.

"There is always something different that they come to training with and I often ask them questions that I’d love them to answer. They are always willing to answer, so, it’s great.

“As a team, we are very strong-minded people in that when we get to the park, we know what we want to do. Everyone knows what they want to do, and everyone knows what they have to do.

"We are one big family; we gel quite well. Everyone is easy to talk to and easy to approach."

She spoke about her experiences on her journey so far, especially the memories she had playing in the Women’s Super League.

“I’ve had different experiences, especially with the WSL. I obviously set high standards for myself, so the way I bowled in the first two WSL seasons, I was completely off. I didn’t really [have the answers,] I don’t know what it was, but I just bowled horribly.

"But this past WSL was much, much better. This one compared to the others was like chalk and cheese, completely different. Partly, this was a result of a mindset switch. But also, having people like Dané [van Niekerk], who I played alongside now in this WSL, Anneke [Bosch], even our assistant coach, Byron Fraser – he's the Northerns’ coach now, [helped a lot].

"Just listening to them speak – the amount of knowledge they have, with Dané being a national player, who has played around the world, listening to what she had to say, taught me a lot.

"Hearing about cricket from a different perspective, not from the same voices that you hear from every single day, also makes a good impact on you as a person and helps your cricket grow in a good way.

"Even though my WSL experience has been up and down, overall, it’s been enjoyable, and it’s helped me understand how to play the game in a certain way."

We asked her opinion on women’s cricket in South Africa, specifically our domestic structure, and how it can improve.

“[Women’s cricket in South Africa] is going in the right direction. With us having the WSL, we are playing more domestic games, and domestic games have also become more competitive.

"There are a lot of youngsters coming up – especially now with the U19 World Cup we just had – you could see the amount of talent there, so I think it’s growing and it’s getting there.

"We are slowly but surely going into that professional space that we want to be in. If we want to compete with the Australia’s, New Zealand’s, and England’s of the world, then we have to be at that level, and we are starting to go in that direction. Hopefully it can continue to go that way, and that one day we will be able to compete at the very highest level of cricket."

When it comes to the domestic structure in South Africa, some people just let it fall by the wayside and don’t realise the amount of talent that players in the domestic structure have.

We need to expose our players to playing against people from all over the world. Perhaps there should be a league (like the Big Bash or the Hundred or something), where our South African players can play with players like Ellyse Perry, Meg Lanning, Nat Sciver-Brunt, those types of people, just to expand our knowledge too, because they have played at such high levels of cricket.

“Bringing in something like this [into the women’s game], like the men just did now – something similar like that for the women – [would help to] expose our girls more.

"Domestically, we could get international coaches in, from all over, and see what changes they would make to the brand that we play as South Africans.

"Maybe there are even coaches here in South Africa that have a different style of cricket that would improve the cricket in South Africa, make it more competitive or more exciting. A different coach would bring something different, so you never know what could happen.

“With the Women’s World Cup being in South Africa, I heard that a lot of schoolchildren will be there, so with them seeing women playing cricket they will be like ‘wow, I can also do that’ [it will motivate them].

 "It’s a very good eye-opener for youngsters and everyone in South Africa to see that these women can play, and that women all over the world can play, and can do what they would like to do, and excel in it.

“Especially when people come to watch the World Cup, or watch on TV, I’d really love people to show massive support to not just South Africa, but to all the teams playing here, because it’s something massive for women in sport in general.

"Any way that you can represent your country is a massive thing for you as a person, and having support is special. You’ll see now that more girls will start to play cricket, with all the posters that are up.

"With everyone coming to the stadium and seeing the number of women playing cricket, [girls will want to get involved in the game too.] You can pick up a bat at any age and you can always have a go.

“If people turn up at this World Cup, they will see that women’s cricket is a big thing and that us as a country can make it a massive thing. Obviously, women would like the support that they deserve.

"Our women’s team is doing well, so why not turn up in numbers to come support them. There are some girls in South Africa who aspire to be like cricketers of the other countries. Even [the players of other nations coming] to South Africa is a massive thing for us, because some fans will meet them and see them play – see them play live – which will be even better than watching on TV.

"Seeing cricket in person and seeing it on TV, are two completely different experiences. So, I think it will have a really good impact on South Africa as a whole and bring us together as a whole, in spite of everything that is taking place around us."