Saarah Smith chats to Cricket Fanatics Magazine about her cricketing journey and the struggles she has dealt with over the past few years, writes Emily Norris.
Over the past few years, Saarah Smith has been in and out of the Proteas emerging and senior sides, due to injuries. Any player that has gone through the hurdles Smith has, including a recurring lower back injury, is bound to go through mental challenges and it is no different for Smith. On the contrary, all top players find a way to overcome these difficulties and she has done exactly that.
In Pool A of the CSA Women’s Provincial 1-Day League, which concluded on Tuesday 23rd March, Smith was the only batter in the Pool to pass the 100-run mark in terms of total runs scored. She racked up 128 runs in just 3 games.
Smith’s contributions with the bat helped Western Province go unbeaten in the tournament, winning 4 out of 4 games and secure their position in the A division with a game to spare. Her half-century against Gauteng in particular was a dominant statement.
Considering Smith’s injury history, she played 3 out of the 4 games, missing out on the last one, just for precautionary measures. For the Western Province coach, Claire Terblanche, the longevity of the player, as well as player maintenance and taking care of the player first, are the most important factors, and this is why Smith was rested for the last game.
When asking Smith about how her cricketing journey has been over the last year, she told Cricket Fanatics Magazine: “It’s been quite up and down, obviously the injuries played a massive role in my mental state and emotional state as well.
“But I really pushed through and I really worked hard to get where I want to be and to be better at all times. That was proven in the bubble that just happened now. You could see that it paid off – all the hard work that I’ve been putting in.”
Injuries, especially because they are unforeseen, are never easy to deal with, but through these injuries, Smith has learnt major lessons that have propelled her progression as a cricketer.
“I think the main thing I took out of it was that everything happens for a reason. My reason is because of this bubble as well – where I just performed consistently, and that was a positive. Tips [for youngsters struggling] I would say is just to be patient, just believe that everything does happen for a reason, and your reason will show in the near future.
“It was extremely exciting to get back out on the park and just do what I needed to do. In this bubble, I was playing freely, and it felt right. [It just felt like] I was meant to be here.
In terms of getting back into the Proteas setup, Smith has steered her focus towards her performances amongst other aspects that she can control.
“I’m taking it game by game, season by season, at this point. Obviously, my injuries are still a little bit of a concern, but I’m working towards it and I’m just taking it game by game. Working hard fitness-wise, batting wise as well. Being in a good mental space and just working hard.
Being one of the experienced players in the side, Smith said that she enjoys this responsibility because it makes her a better player.
“Pressure as a senior player motivates me to bat well and to do what I need to do in the middle. I don’t consider myself really as a senior player. I just do what I need to do on the field.”
Smith is an inspiration to many, and a lot of players can learn from her determination and perseverance. Remember the name, because we are bound to see her in South African colours again in the near future.
