We were extremely excited to come to Ireland and England, not really knowing what to expect. We knew the main challenge would be England but it was nice to play against Ireland and also to give them some exposure. Playing against England was a lot tougher and it really did show us what we will still need to do in our game.
We weren't really surprised though - England have always been a good side. I've seen some videos of when they played in 2000 and I've watched them mature as a team - nowadays they can beat Australia. When we saw the results against Australia and New Zealand earlier this year we knew they would be hard work.
That was what made this tour so awesome because we needed to see what we need to do to close the gap on the top four teams in the world. Although we lost the series 4-0 what makes us different to 2003 was that we never seemed to grow then. In this series we've improved, in team spirit – even though we were losing, we still stuck there. I think the girls have showed a lot of character, getting well beaten in the first games then coming back in the last two.
In the first two games England took us on with the batting and our bowlers definitely had to improve on being more consistent and working on their skill level and they have. In terms of the fielding, we had to adapt our field placings to their style of play. We have worked hard.
The only thing we would still be disappointed with would be the batting department. We haven't had the partnerships to give the top order some confidence. The top order need to be able to improve on skills to take on the bowlers. The main thing for us, especially against England, was finding there were much fewer balls that were loose so the girls had to work hard for the runs. Out of frustration they would play a loose shot and get out. We must learn to really graft in the provincial league and just work for our runs.
Throughout the series the girls have learned a great deal and we've taken out a lot of positives. We've improved throughout the series. It's not only been negative for us, it's been extremely positive as we prepare for next year's World Cup. We are willing to work and aiming for the semi-final.
Obviously we have our provincial league when we get back and we will play as much as possible. We have challenged the girls to play international-level cricket in the provincial league. We would also look to the Super Fours fixtures which were perfect for us when we trialled them at Twenty20 level before the tour. Once you've got the top 44 players in the country, the more cricket we play the better we become and that's also in the pipeline closer to November.
I played county cricket for Kent in 2004 and the Super Fours was new in England and we suggested it in South Africa and we put it on a trial run because of geographical settings - it's a lot harder to get the teams together to play as they are so spread out.
But it's definitely the way to go, and now hopefully we can expand the tournament to work on the ODIs. Cricket South Africa will definitely do from their side what they can as always and I know they had a big role to play in arranging the sponsorship for us.
In the meantime we've got three Twenty20 games to look forward to against England this week. We haven't played as much as England have and so it will be more great experience. We will go hard and play positive.
Posted by: Memyselfenek at August 20, 2008 8:17 AM
SA have a top team capable of beating England FULL STOP
Hard work will pay off so its up you guys to make it happen. Im 100% behind you guys and would like you to use the T20 to get to decent competative totals regardless of the result. Be more aggressive in all aspects of the game, but especially in batting. SA have the opportunity NOW to perform at INTERNATIONAL LEVEL so use it with purpose to prepare for the World Cup - thats what this tour should be about. Please dont wait for provincials to emulate international competition, its just not the same! We want to seeee the 'extreme positives' you have taken from the ODI's. Remember, you've got nothing to loose but alot to gain. Aggression is the best form of defence and seeing that SA has been on the receiving side of attack, I'd like to see you fight back. Stop looking at others in awe but BE the awe.
Posted by: Women's fan at August 23, 2008 11:00 AM
In reply to "Memyselfenek", I think South Africa are very firm in their belief that, as you say, they can be the awe. They have a healthy respect for England but are very confident they can beat them. I think what Cri-Zelda was saying regarding the provincial cricket was just looking ahead at how they can get the best out of domestic matches when they are back - of course they are going to use the Twenty20s in the meantime to give it their best. That's what they're over in Europe for and are using the tour in the best way. Cri-Zelda already says that they've got a better fighting spirit than ever and can hopefully bounce back from the first Twenty20 defeat.
Posted by: Memyselfenek at August 25, 2008 11:58 AM
'Fighting spirit' is a natural reaction to when one is losing. My disappointment is that we never managed to score more than 5 runs per over in a T20 or that more than 2 players could bat at an strikerate of 100% or higher. I agree that the domestic matches is now the only way to improve and wish them well in that endeavour. Pity they could not show more intent during the last part of the England tour.
Mithali Raj, India's former captain, has been on the international circuit for a decade. In August 2006, she led India to their first-ever Test and series win in England and capped off the year by winning the Asia Cup - the second time in 12 months - without dropping a game. India, under her captaincy, also reached the World Cup final in 2005. Now, as one of the senior members of the side, and the premier batsman, a lot will be riding on her for the two World Cups - 50-over and Twenty20 - that India will play in 2009.
Urooj Mumtaz managed to juggle a course in dentistry along with captaining Pakistan. Their most recent triumph was qualifying for the World Cup next year and the 22-year old Urooj will lead a young team to Australia in hope of creating a favourable impression of the Pakistan women's team among the other sides as well as back home. A legspinner, she has a hat-trick against Zimbabwe.
Cri-zelda Brits became South Africa’s captain at the age of 23, standing in for Shandre Fritze in the home series against Pakistan in 2007. She followed this by captaining the side to a 3-0 series whitewash against the Netherlands as well as winning the first-ever Test between the two sides by 159 runs. In 2008 she scored her maiden ODI hundred and led South Africa to a spot in the World Cup after beating Pakistan in the Qualifiers final in Stellenbosch. She also coaches the Northwest women's team, based in Potchefstroom, and runs her own academy.
Shelley Nitschke combines playing for Australia and her state with working in cricket, as a school officer. A useful spinner, her batting is also worth talking about – she has developed into a handy allrounder. Her major achievements to date are winning the 2005 World Cup, taking 7 for 24 against England in Kidderminster in 2005 and being nominated for the ICC Women's Player of the Year in 2006-07. Although she has played netball, softball and basketball, cricket has always been her stand-out sport.
Ebony Rainford-Brent made history as one of eight England players to be handed a Chance to Shine coaching contract, allowing her flexibility around training. A top-order batsman, she fought back from what doctors thought was a career-killing back injury and could one day bowl again – calling her determined is an understatement. She is on the Surrey Academy and her Super 4s side is Diamonds. Proficient in basketball and athletics, she settled for playing cricket … and the drums.
Haidee Tiffen has played for New Zealand for more than ten years and is now their captain, having begun her career with Otago Under-21s before heading to Canterbury. She has played representational hockey, basketball and rugby – but cricket is her passion and won out over New Zealand junior hockey. She is particularly proud of winning the World Cup in 2000, reaching the 100-ODI milestone and being skipper. Her experience also includes playing for Sussex for two winters and she was also part of the first female academy in Lincoln. Somehow she also finds time to teach Health and PE at Hillmorton High School.
Isobel Joyce,a class bat with a steely mentality, comes from a family full of cricketers - twin sister Cecilia plays alongside her for Ireland and brother Dom for the men’s national team, while another brother, Ed, plays for England and Middlesex. Her first half-century came against a strong New Zealand attack in Dublin in 2004 and her figures of 4 for 20 helped her side beat Scotland by six wickets in the European Championship in 2001, where Ireland won all their three matches. Her 46 against Netherlands in the summer of 2007 helped to maintain her place in the World Cup qualifiers in South Africa. She was in outstanding form with both and ball during the tournament, scoring 148 runs at 37 and taking 10 wickets at an average of 7. She ran out five Pakistani players in Ireland's first match, before earning two successive Player-of-the-Match awards against Scotland and then Zimbabwe, against whom she scored 70 and took 4 for 10. She was named captain for their next series, against West Indies, after Heather Whelan pulled out because she was expecting.
Nadine George has been a regular for West Indies since her debut in 1999. She first led the side on their tour of Europe in June-July 2008, when West Indies thrashed Ireland and Netherlands while putting up a respectable performance against England. Nadine combines playing for West Indies and her national team, St.Lucia, with her day job as a Sergeant in the Police Marine Unit of the Royal St.Lucia Police Force. A left-hand batsman and wicketkeeper, Nadine says the highlights of her career are receiving an MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2005, being the first West Indies woman cricketer to score a century in a Test (in Pakistan in 2004), playing in the World Cup in South Africa (2005), and playing club cricket in Australia in 2006. Nadine also plays netball and volleyball and loves the marine environment and is passionate about diving. She is a qualified open water diver and during her working hours captains a 65 and 82 ft vessel. Her motto in life is "with hard work and dedication one can achieve".
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