South Africa went into the third ODI with two forced changes due to the unavailability of Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch.
For Anneke’s replacement, the Proteas selected Titans bowling all-rounder Eliz-Mari Marx. For Tazmin’s replacement, the Proteas management made a surprising decision to include Western Province top-order batter Lara.
Lara was tasked with opening the innings after joining the team just 24 hours prior. Given the opportunity to prove herself in an international match, Lara failed to impress, as she did in the second ODI match.
Lara did not have a strong season for Western Province and was not the team’s most successful batter. Furthermore, she did not often open the innings; she mainly batted at number three. The Proteas could have positioned Lara in her usual role at number three.
If the Proteas needed a solid opening batter to partner with Laura, there were three other players the Proteas management could have considered.
Sune Luus, despite not being in top form, should have opened the innings alongside Laura. Sune has a solid defense and experience opening the batting for the Proteas, making her a logical choice.
As a senior player, Sune has a responsibility to contribute to the team’s success. This situation is comparable to how Amelia Kerr has stepped up for New Zealand when one of the openers was unavailable. By having Sune open the batting, Lara could have batted at number three, while Delmi would have moved to number four or five, giving Marizanne Kapp the possibility of batting at number four.
Another sensible option would have been Tazmin’s Garden Route Badgers teammate Annerie Derckesen, who is part of the Proteas squad. Annerie has been in good form with the bat this season and has successfully opened the batting for the SA Emerging team. Assigning this responsibility to Annerie would not have been a bad decision, as she is more of a batting all-rounder compared to Eliz-Mari.
A third option would have been selecting Western Province’s most in-form batter instead of Lara. Faye Tunnicliffe is likely one of South Africa’s top domestic players this season, with strong performances in both T20 and One Day cricket.
A fourth option was to open with the Titans skipper Robyn Searle. The Titans captain was consistent with the bat this past season, having either the second-most or third-most runs across various forms of South Africa’s domestic cricket. The international stage could have been a significant moment for Robyn, as she has not played internationally since 2018.
Delmi had a chance to impress with the ball as the second spinner, but she failed to take a wicket in her six overs. Surprisingly, the Proteas made Delmi bat at number three, even though she has yet to establish confidence at the international level with her batting. She should have batted at number four or five, her typical positions in domestic cricket. Expecting her to bat at number three internationally may have been unfair, even if she might occupy that position in the future.
In the third ODI at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom, it will be interesting to see how the Proteas management addresses the team’s fragile top order. While players should take advantage of every opportunity, it’s crucial to build batters’ confidence. This is part of developing players mentally and supporting them holistically.
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