KZN Women ready for national week

Durban – After a period of solid preparation, the KwaZulu-Natal Women’s team are ready to take on the country’s best at the CSA National Women’s Cricket Week from 25 to 29 March in Bloemfontein.

KZN Women’s Coach Dinesha Devnarain said the team has been putting in the hard yards behind the scenes honing their skills in preparation for the biggest domestic women’s competition in the country.

“The team has been focusing a lot on strengthening their weaknesses and maintaining the areas that we are good at,” Devnarain said. “We have just completed a high-performance camp in North West this past week, and it was beneficial for our girls to be exposed to other female cricketers from around the country.”

The KZN outfit was required to qualify for the CSA National Women’s Week and they made light work of all their opponents as they finished the CSA Women’s Provincial One-Day Competition unbeaten.

“We are trying to stick to things that had made us successful thus far but we are not blind to that fact that we going up against some strong oppositions and our game has to develop to stay in the top six,” Devnarain continued.

The week-long tournament will consist of eight teams, split into two pools and the two teams at the bottom are then relegated to the regional league, the remaining top six stay in the National League.

Devnarain said their goal leading to the tournament is to bat for longer periods and stay more consistent in their areas with the ball.

The team’s chances will be bolstered by the services of experienced Proteas Women all-rounder Chloe Tryon.

“Chloe has always been the pillar of KZN cricket for a long time and the experience and skill she brings to the team can only add value and will help the youngsters in the set-up,” Devnarain said.

Devnarain’s side boasts healthy young talent such as the Nondumiso Shangase, who is the current captain, and Jade De Figueiredo who have both been invited in the upcoming CSA national academy.

“Our squad is young and inexperienced, but they are also very talented and energetic.

“We have Chloe who has played many games for the national side but we also have the likes of Nonkululeko Mlaba who has been selected for U19 SA Schools team.”

KZN Women will clash with North West in their tournament opener on 25 March at St Andrews (Vossies field).

KZN Women’s Squad:
Nonopha Ludidi, Prudence Gcabashe, Nonkuloleko Mlaba, Dheyanka Naidoo, Jade De Figueiredo, Sabathile Madlala, Nondumiso Shangase, Kiara Fisher, Asamkele Kawu, Nomzamo Shabane, Asheta Mahabeer, Nikita Sole, Chloe Tryon, Dinesha Devnarain (Playing Coach).

KZN Women’s CSA National Women’s Cricket Week Fixtures:
25 March – KZNW v North West
26 March – KZNW v Northerns
27 March – KZNW v Gauteng
28 – 29 March – Playoffs