Historic Australia Test: South Africa’s Squad Features Six Debutants

In a historic first, South Africa will conclude their Australian tour with a one-off Test in Perth. Although the two teams have clashed multiple times in white-ball cricket, this marks their inaugural encounter in the Test format.

The South African team will be captained by Laura Wolvaardt, with seasoned players like Marizanne Kapp and Chloé Tryon adding their expertise to the mix.

Out of the 14-member squad, six players are set to make their Test debut. The new faces include top-order batter Tazmin Brits, wicketkeeper Mieke de Ridder, seamers Ayanda Hlubi and Masabata Klaas, and all-rounders Eliz-Mari Marx and Delmi Tucker.

The last Test match South Africa participated in was against England in Taunton in 2022, which ended in a draw.

The Squad:

Laura Wolvaardt (c), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Chloé Tryon, Delmi Tucker

South Africa’s coach, Hilton Moreeng, views the Australia Test as a significant opportunity. He said, “It’s a great opportunity for us as a team, especially for the youngsters who are very excited to challenge themselves and test their skills in the longer format. It’s an opportunity that every youngster wants to grab and test their skills against, so it’s exciting times for women’s cricket and one we’re looking forward to as a team.”

During the ongoing tour, the Proteas have participated in a three-game T20I series and are currently engaged in a three-match ODI series against the host nation, Australia. They lost the T20I series 2-1, while the ODIs are currently tied at 1-1. The team has already made history on this tour by securing their first-ever T20I and ODI wins against Australia.

One-off Test Schedule:

15-18 February, WACA, Perth