The Proteas men's side have had quite the summer of discontent with their disheartening first test defeat at Lord's last week following their early ICC Champions Trophy exit.
Then along came Hilton Moreeng's bunch of brave warriors with their roller-coaster Women's World Cup ride, qualifying for the semifinals for the first time. They have come a long way from their first appearance, in 1997, when they made the quarterfinals, highlighting how much the women's game has grown in two decades.
From the manner in which they took apart India, West Indies and Sri Lanka, it is clear they are not to be trifled with.
There has been a cold, calculating and efficient approach to a tournament they have meticulously prepared for. Regardless of what happened in yesterday's game against Australia, there's an accelerated development template that needs to be copied and pasted in all of South Africa's spheres with regard to women. Cricket South Africa's progressive decision to professionalise the women's game through the gaining of a serious sponsorship three years ago is reaping rich dividends.While things haven't quite reached the advanced levels of Australia and England, the fact that the players have security of tenure and employment allows them to deal with the game, and that only. There's a lesson for the South African Football Association and SARugby, even though the women's soccer team have done well continentally and globally. However, there's a clear commitment from CSA to improve the lot of women, and the hefty return in the investment is evident.
The gender pay divide is a bridge that still needs to be crossed, but stories of pay strikes in football aren't something that's prevalent with the women cricket players. That is a sign of a happy and healthy home. The improvement has been incremental, but tangible at the same time. They might not have the firepower to beat the likes of Australia and England, but they're a force to be reckoned with.
While many may be up in arms in terms of the "unfairness" they see in transformation targets, the Proteas national women's team have quietly set their own bar of excellence...