Johannesburg - Laura Wolvaardt hadn’t faced a red ball since her days in club cricket, but it didn’t matter as she notched up a century on the first day of South Africa’s warm-up match against England A in Sussex on Tuesday.
The three-day match is the Proteas’s only tour game ahead of a once-off Test against England which will be in Taunton starting next Monday.
Wolvaardt, scored quickly facing only 148 balls, before retiring out on 101.
“It is my first time playing with a red ball since back in the day in club cricket,” said the Capetonian.
South Africa amassed 301 in 80 overs, with Sune Luus’s 48, the next best score. England A were reduced to 54/3 at stumps, With Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch and Tumi Sekhukhune each claiming a wicket.
WARM-UP | DAY 1 RECAP 🏏
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) June 22, 2022
Laura Wolvaardt scored an unbeaten century on Day 1 of their 3-Day warm-up match against England 'A' as the #MomentumProteas posted 301 all out.
The hosts are currently 54/3 as Day 2 gets underway#AlwaysRising #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/QaSCBqCnVV
Wolvaardt explained that she had to show caution initially against the red ball.
“Up front the red ball does more than white ball and it takes a lot more patience, especially for me who enjoys the cover drive, I have to use that shot selectively, only when the ball is there,” she said.
“There were some funky fields that we have to get used to. It’s been a really good experience and we’ll learn a lot from this warm-up game.”
Next week’s Test will be the first for the Proteas women’s side in eight years, and just the 13th overall for South Africa. They last played a Test against India in 2014, with Kapp, Lizelle Lee, Trish Chetty and Chloe Tryon the only members of the current squad who participated in that match.
IOL Sport