• Proteas Women to take fight to Aussies

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    Captain Suné Luus believes South Africa will have to play with a bit of bravado if they are to beat Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup clash at St George’s Park on Saturday.

    The Proteas are searching for a first win against the Australians in this form of the game, having lost the previous four encounters by narrow margins.

    “If you look at all the previous games we’ve played against them, it’s always been close,” Luus said on Friday.

    “I don’t think they’ve ever run away with a game, which gives us a lot of confidence because we have a world-class batting attack, a world-class bowling attack and we are up against a world-class team as well.

    “It’s going to be a great clash tomorrow. I don’t think there’s going to be any reason for us to stand back. The only way to beat a team like Australia is if you take the fight to them and that’s definitely what we’re going to try and do.”

    The last time these sides faced off in a T20I came in the semi-finals of the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia, where the Aussies claimed a five-run victory through the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method after persistent rain plagued the match in Sydney.

    Although it is almost three years since that disappointing day for South Africa, the overhead conditions could play another key role in Saturday’s clash as rainfall has been predicted in Gqeberha.

    “The rain is out of our control,” Luus said. “It looks like it might clear up for our game but we just take it as it comes. We know Australia is a very strong side and we’re going to have to put in a very good performance if we are to beat them.

    “Whether it’s raining or not, we just got to stay focused on the task.”

    Saturday’s match will start at 19:00 and be broadcast live on SuperSport Grandstand and Cricket.

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    Simon Borchardt