The SA women’s cricket team have said they’re ready to face the challenge of touring England and Ireland.
‘We’ve been preparing for this tour for the past three months,’ head coach Hilton Moreeng said from the CSA Centre of Excellence in Pretoria on Sunday.
‘The team have been involved in the CSA National Academy for the first time in history and this has served us well in helping our players prepare for all eventualities in England. We know that it’s going to be a tough tour but I’m backing our preparation and the team’s drive to see us through.’
South Africa have not toured England since 2008 and have lost all of their matches against the World’s No 3 side in their recent clashes, most recently in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 earlier this year, but captain Mignon du Preez says all that is behind them now.
‘The past is gone and we are looking forward to the future,’ she commented. ‘England are definitely one of our toughest competitors and we have a lot of respect for them, but we are a completely different side from the one they faced in the World Twenty20. Being part of the National Academy has benefited us immensely and we are mentally stronger than we have ever been.
‘I’m looking forward to a really competitive series against England and Ireland, in conditions that are foreign to us and putting all the lessons of the last three months to good use. The team are really amped to get going and are excited to show what we’ve got,’ she concluded.
The team depart from OR Tambo International Airport on Monday night.
SA women’s squad to tour England:
Mignon du Preez (c), Trisha Chettty, Moseline Daniels, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Lizelle Lee, Matshipi Letsoalo, Sunette Loubsher, Sune Luus, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Chloe Tryon, Adrei Steyn, Dane van Niekerk.
Tour fixtures:
1 September: 1st T20I vs England, County Ground.
3 September: 2nd T20I vs England, Northampton.
7 September: 3rd T20I vs England, Edgbaston.
9 September: 1st T20I vs Ireland, Moseley CC.
9 September: 2nd T20I vs Ireland, Moseley CC.
10 September: 3rd T20I vs Ireland, Moseley CC.
Photo: CSA
