On Sunday, Tazmin Brits will captain the Proteas’ Women’s national cricket team in the first T20 International against Bangladesh at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
TWELVE years ago Tazmin Brits was lying in a hospital bed wondering if she would ever walk again after a horrific car accident that crushed her dreams of throwing the javelin at the Olympics.
On Sunday, she will captain the Proteas’ Women’s national cricket team in the first T20 International against Bangladesh at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
It is a remarkable story of courage, determination and the sheer will to never give up on life.
“Firstly, I didn’t think this would happen. It’s a bit unexpected,” Brits told the media on Saturday.
“It is a privilege and honour just to play for your country, so to captain … I will hopefully grab this chance with both hands while standing in for Wolfie (Laura Wolvaardt).”
At this stage Brits doesn’t know how long she will have the captain’s armband in the absence of newly-elected permanent skipper Laura Wolvaardt, who is away on franchise duty where she’s playing in the Women’s Big Bash League Final.
Initially it was meant to be only for Sunday’s opening encounter, but Wolvaardt’s readiness will be assessed only once she returns from Australia early next week. In the meantime it will be Brits’ responsibility to lead a young and inexperienced Proteas side that will also be without stalwarts Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka and Nadine de Klerk for the three match T20I series.
They have been replaced with a crop of emerging talent in Ayanda Hlubi, Eliz-Mari Marx, Mieke de Ridder and Annerie Dercksen.
Coach's Corner 🗣
Proteas Women, Hilton Moreeng, is excited about prospect of young players getting an opportunity to play in the first T20I against Bangladesh 🇿🇦🇧🇩
🏟 Willowmoore Park
🕙 14:00
📺 SuperSport Cricket (Ch 212) #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #SAWvBANW pic.twitter.com/ba3dp4Bb8U— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) December 1, 2023
Fortunately, Brits has numerous years of experience leading both the Garden Route Badgers and North West in Cricket SA’s provincial competitions, and has the mentality to get the best out of young players.
“I’m very excited to see how the youngsters perform. They have been working really hard here. They are definitely sticking up their hands. Sometimes fresh blood is good so I am really excited about what they have to offer,” she said.
“We are heading towards the next (T20) World Cup in 2024 and we want our young players to just try to feel comfortable in this environment.”
Brits’ focus can’t though only be on the rest of the playing XI as her team will certainly need the explosive runs she provides at the top of the order.
After a spectacular T20 World Cup on home soil, where she finished among the five top run-scorers in the competition, the hard-hitting right-hander has flirted with playing a couple of big innings against both Pakistan and New Zealand recently.
Her team will be expecting that their new captain now leads from the front in Benoni today.
Squads for Willowmoore Park:
SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits (captain), Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Delmi Tucker.
BANGLADESH: Nigar Sultana Joty (captain), Nahida Akter, Shamima Sultana, Murshida Khatun, Sobhana Mostary, Fargana Hoque Pinky, Lata Mondol, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Shorifa Khatun, Sumaiya Akter, Rabeya, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Disha Biswas.
Start: 2pm TV: SuperSport
