After the Proteas’ crushing defeat in their opening World Cup match to England, captain Laura Wolvaardt gave as a reason for the performance that it was just “one of those days”.
The only way to prove that her statement was true was to deliver the next time they took to the field, which Wolvaardt’s team did emphatically on Monday against New Zealand.
It’s an enormous mental leap to make.
The Proteas were dreadful against England, producing an embarrassing batting display in which they were bowled out for 69 in 20.4 overs. It was the exact opposite of the start they had wanted to make to a tournament they genuinely believed they could win.
There are several ways to prove you’re good: one of those is to dominate and another is to bounce back from disappointment.
Wolvaardt’s team certainly did that against New Zealand, but it was the manner in which they rebounded that was truly impressive.
The batting was the obvious failure against England, but South Africa not only improved with the bat against New Zealand, they outplayed the current T20 World Cup holders in all facets.
South Africa delivered a fielding display that would have had legend Jonty Rhodes purring. They were desperate, diving to make stops on the boundaries, scratching elbows, dirtying their playing kit and burying their heads on the firm outfield of the Holkar Stadium.
The catching was sublime, from the diving efforts produced by Suné Luus and Anneke Bosch to the otherworldly, one-handed catch of the tournament candidate by Wolvaardt herself.
Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba delivered with the ball in the manner expected of her, picking up four wickets and bowling a spell ― described by Wolvaardt as amazing ― that helped to turn the match in the Proteas’ favour.
With the bat, they proved that they are indeed “much, much better than 69 all out”, as Wolvaardt commented after the England defeat. Tazmin Brits, fuelled by koeksisters and armed with a new bat, blazed her way to a fourth century in her last five One-Day Internationals and in the process became the first woman to score five centuries in a calendar year.
She and Luus shared a 159-run partnership ― the highest for South Africa at a World Cup ― to help the Proteas reach a target of 232 with 9.5 overs remaining.
With confidence restored, Wolvaardt and company will feel much better about themselves ahead of the clash with host nation India on Thursday. The home side came into the tournament as the second favourites behind Australia, and are a formidable team, especially when playing in front of their fanatical supporters.
However, Wolvaardt’s Proteas have demonstrated their toughness with the way they bounced back from the disappointment of their start in the tournament. They remain a strong contender for the World Cup.
Once the celebrations had stopped, Wolvaardt, as she did after they lost to England, said she wanted her players to forget about the New Zealand match and focus on the future. There is indeed more to come from the Proteas.
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