Proteas Women have a Marizanne Kapp-sized hole in team for tri-series quest

Daily Maverick

06-05-2025

The Proteas have unearthed talented all-rounders, but none has the dual ability of Marizanne Kapp, whose presence with ball and bat is missed in Sri Lanka.
The Proteas Women have struggled in their 50-over tri-series against India and Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka so far without the services of the always reliable all-rounder Marizanne Kapp.
Kapp was rested by Cricket South Africa (CSA) as she 'continues her conditioning block in preparation for the subsequent tours and the World Cup in India', CSA said before the four-match tour.
The Proteas have lost both their opening two matches, first a 15-run loss to India and then a demoralising five-wicket loss to hosts Sri Lanka.
The side have, so far, besides their fielding performances, struggled mainly in two departments: runs in the middle order and penetration with the new ball.
In their first two matches, the highest score from batters three to six has been 46, scored by Lara Goodall against Sri Lanka in the second match, the only score above 40 so far for batters in those positions.
The team has also picked up only one wicket in the first 10 overs of both matches, with three seamers — Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka and Nadine de Klerk – taking the new ball.
Those are periods in matches, with bat and ball, where Kapp has excelled in recent years.
Since 2019, while batting in the middle order, Kapp's lowest average in a calendar year in Women's One Day Internationals has been 43.75 and the highest 75.00, in 2023.
Last year, she was the second-highest run scorer in the format, behind captain Laura Wolvaardt, and the second-highest wicket-taker, behind Nonkulukelo Mlaba.
But with Kapp at 35 years old, the Proteas Women have to learn to live without the formidable all-rounder. They are now experiencing a taste of that reality.
'Massive loss'
Before the first match of the tour, skipper Wolvaardt admitted that not having Kapp around left a huge gap.
'Kappie is obviously a massive loss for us,' she said. 'She's probably the most skilful seam bowler in the world.
'The way that she bats as well, is sort of a double loss.
'In saying that, we do have some other seaming all-rounders in the side like Nads [de Klerk] and [Annerie] Dercksen.
'We have two other seamers here as well. Hopefully, they're able to fill the hole that she leaves.'
That hole has been difficult to replace so far. Not only have the seamers struggled to pick up wickets, other than De Klerk, they've also leaked runs like a broken faucet.
Spinner Mlaba has been the leading wicket-taker thus far with four pegs. It was largely expected of the team's premier spin bowler to lead the charge in subcontinent conditions, but the seamers, barring De Klerk, have struggled for control.
Dercksen has been a shining light with the bat so far, however. Coming in at No 7, the big-hitting all-rounder has hit 91 runs in the 80 deliveries she's faced so far, including a maiden half-century, striking an unbeaten 61 off 60 deliveries against Sri Lanka.
'I think she can become one of the best finishers in the world,' Proteas head coach Mandla Mashimbyi said.
'She's got power, she has skin in the game in terms of understanding what she needs to do. She's been really good for us with the bat.'
It hasn't gone as well with the ball. She has conceded 53 runs in the five overs she's bowled across the two matches.
'She's the type of bowler that you don't want to put pressure on in terms of expectations,' Mashimbyi said about her medium-paced bowling that is still raw at the moment.
'She must just go out there and enjoy herself and I know she will put her hand up when it matters … and that will be in the next two games.'
No comparison
Dercksen, having only recently turned 24, has the potential to be a special player for the Proteas, having clinched the International Cricket Council Emerging Player of the Year award for 2024. She is already being compared with the legendary Kapp.
'I've been compared to Kappie a lot and I'm really not sure why,' she said. 'She's in a class of her own and someone I really look up to, and I see it as a big honour.'
The comparisons are somewhat unfair at this point. Dercksen is still in the infancy of her career, having donned the green and gold only eight times. Her role in the side and her skillset are different.
Dercksen is a basher, a clean striker of the ball who can clear the boundary without too much fuss. Kapp is an accumulator who prefers to see the leather whistling along the carpet, except for the occasional slog-sweep unleashed against spin bowlers.
On the bowling front, Kapp has discipline and accuracy few have been able to replicate, while Dercksen is an aggressive bowler whose precision is often compromised, evident in how she took her only wicket of the series: strangling Smriti Mandhana down the leg side.
When asked about whether Kapp's on-field ability is missed, however, Mashimbyi answered ambiguously.
'Yes and no. You can't replace experience,' he said
'If you look at the results, it could be better, but as I sit here, I don't think we were beaten; we just didn't play the important moments very well.'
Those important moments are, in recent times, where Kapp has excelled.
'It's also part of learning,' Mashimbyi said. 'I think you learn better when you lose than when you win.'
South Africa hope to turn their losing streak around tomorrow against India in their third match, with another loss guaranteeing they won't make the final of the tri-series.
'We do have a lot of good things that are happening on this tour,' Mashimbyi said. 'That's what I want to focus on and then work on the things that we're not doing really well.' DM