CSA announce two-week national camp with an eye on the World Cup

The Cricket South Africa (CSA) have announced the national team will go through a methodical camp of two weeks starting on December 4, 2021 ahead of the home series against West Indies. The camp will be held in Gqeberha (also known as Port Elizabeth), keeping in mind the ICC Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, which will start in March 2022. 

According to the updates received, the camp will be organised in a bio-secure environment and will aim to help choose the squad for the upcoming fixtures. The camp will have physical assessments which will assist players working on their skills by rigorous practise and inter-squad matches at the iconic St George’s Park.  

Head coach Hilton Moreeng spoke about the aim of CSA with the camp. “The goal for us in the camp is first to make sure we continue working on the fitness and the overall competitive edge that we have had throughout the year,” Moreeng said. “The most important thing for us, now that we have the entire squad in the country, is that we touch base since the West Indies tour (earlier in the year) and through that, we can continue working on our shortfalls and improving on our strengths as a team,” he added. 

Ahead of the showpiece global event, South Africa will play three T20Is and five ODIs against West Indies. The series will run between January 18 and February 06 and will be played entirely in Centurion and Johannesburg. CSA have selected a total of 25 players for the camp, which includes national team regulars along with talented young players from the High-Performance programme and national academy. 

Amongst the selected squad, captain Dane van Niekerk, Laura Wolvaardt, Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk and Anneke Bosch were part of the recently concluded seventh season of Women's Big Bash League. On the other hand, players like Chloe Tryon, Lara Goodall, Sune Luus and Tazmin Brits were part of the Provincial One-day tournament which was held in October 2021. 

Notable absentees includes Shabnim Ismail, who is recovering from a knee injury after the West Indies tour, which subsequently ruled her out the WBBL. Tumi Sekhukhune, who was part of the West Indies tour in September, has also missed out from the camp.

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“We are also looking at the fitness assessment of the entire squad and those with injuries, we can make sure the rehab process and conditioning, including the return to play processes, are in place and that each and every player now keeps working with the understanding that the World Cup is around the corner,” Moreeng further explained. 

The inter-squad matches have been a norm for several teams across the world in the post COVID era. Coach Moreeng explained that it is the closest way the team can be match-ready. “The inter-squad matches will give us an indication of where the players are skill-wise and whether the skills we have been working on have been improving while it still gives us time, if there are one or two things we need to focus on before the World Cup. This is the closest we can get to having competitive cricket amongst the squad and amongst the players to make sure they stay match-fit, the competitive edge continues, and we advance as a team as we keep working,” Moreeng said. 

South Africa National Camp Squad: Dane van Niekerk, Lizelle Lee, Nondumiso Shangase, Laura Wolvaardt,  Chloe Tryon, Sune Luus, Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Lara Goodall, Tazmin Brits, Masabata Klaas, Sinalo Jafta, Nadine de Klerk, Anneke Bosch, Andrie Steyn, Jane Winster, Elize Mari Marx, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Delmi Tucker, Tebogo Macheke, Palesa Mapoo, Nobulumko Baneti, Faye Tunnicliffe, Micheala Andrews