Twenty-two games, zero wins. South Africa believe they are primed end their losing drought against the world champions
South Africa have never beaten Australia in any format, but captain Laura Wolvaardt believes the first multi-format series between the rivals presents the Proteas’ best chance yet of finally upsetting the world’s top-ranked side.
Australia are the only team the Proteas have never recorded a win against, with a tied ODI in Coffs Harbour in 2016 the closest they have come in the 27 years since the teams first met.
But opportunities have also been scant: Australia and South Africa have only played 22 times across the white-ball formats, and never in Tests.
Their seven T20I meetings have all come in World Cups, with this three-game series in Canberra and Hobart marking the first bilateral 20-over meeting between the sides.
It is also the first bilateral meeting in any format between the rivals since 2016, after a planned 2020 tour was called off due to COVID.
“It’ll be nice to have an extended run against the Aussies,” Wolvaardt told reporters in Canberra on Friday.
“I think we’ve always just come up against them for a game here or there in World Cups, so we’re definitely looking forward to the challenge.
“I think it will be a big challenge, they are the world champions and it’s their own backyard, but I think we’ve prepared well.
“It’ll be great for us to see where we’re at and where we measure – you want to test yourself against the best in the world.
“We’ve had a good couple of series at home against New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh so it’ll be nice to play against the world champions.”
While South Africa’s visits to Australia have been few and far between, their star players have plenty of experience in the local conditions.
Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Anneke Bosch and Sune Luus have all featured in the WBBL.
“Being able to play at a lot of the grounds that we’ll be playing at is great, and facing the bowlers that I’ll be facing for a few months at a time – hopefully I’ll be able to use it to my advantage,” Wolvaardt said of her WBBL experience.
“Australia have just been very consistent for a long period of time … playing in Big Bash, I can see how they work very hard at their skills to see I think it’s well deserved, they do work very hard and they are very good cricketers.
“But I think it’ll just be about us playing our best cricket on the day and I think we’re a very talented group as well, so if we play our best cricket, it should all come together.”
South Africa’s tour started with a final-over defeat to the Governor-General’s XI in a warm-up match at North Sydney Oval.
Wolvaardt, while disappointed, maintained there were plenty of positives to be taken from the match.
“We’re playing two ODIs there at North Sydney Oval, so conditions wise, it was perfect (preparation),” she said.
“It’s a bit more bouncy than what we’ve had back at home, so we’re just getting used to conditions … just seeing what lengths work, seeing where we need to bowl and just getting used to the bounce a bit as batters as well.
“Hopefully, it’s done us good and we’ll be ready for tomorrow.”
Wolvaardt played alongside Australians Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown in the title-winning Adelaide Strikers side late last year.
Friends will turn to foes for this series, with the Strikers quartet eager to claim bragging rights.
“It’s a strange one, we’re teammates in the blue and I love watching (Wolvaardt) score runs for the Strikers, but it’s going to be weird and I’m quietly not wanting her to do too well,” McGrath laughed.
“They’ve got some serious players in Laura Wolvaardt, in Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon – some world-class players, absolute match winners and we’re going to have to be at our absolute best to keep them under control.”
Women’s C
