Captain Dane van Niekerk has implored South Africa’s top- through middle-order to perform well at next month’s Women’s World Twenty20.

Van Niekerk and company recently returned from a tour of the Caribbean – the nation that will host November’s tournament.

‘It was a great learning curve going to the West Indies and playing the defending champions. Our top order needs to fire. In the last three tours, we’ve only had two batters that rocked up,’ said Van Niekerk.

‘We need four or five batters to rock up and do really well for us. In the last two weeks that we’ve been home, a lot of our batters have had time for some introspection, and they’re ready to go.’

The Proteas have been grouped with England, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and Bangladesh. Their opening fixture will be against the Sri Lankans at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet on 12 November.

‘I think I’ve said it 100 times – we can beat anyone in the world, it just depends on what we do on the day. In the recent past, we haven’t been a consistent unit, and that’s been our downfall. Somewhere it needs to click, and hopefully, it will in a big tournament like this,’ added Van Niekerk.

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