Proteas coach Mandla Mashimbyi has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to his team after the crushing defeat to England and kept faith in the same playing XI to redeem themselves against New Zealand in the crunch ICC Women’s World Cup clash in Indore on Monday.
It therefore means that in-form allrounder Annerie Dercksen misses out again with Anneke Bosch keeping her place in the middle-order.
Mashimbyi will be hoping for a much-improved performance, especially from the batting unit, after the farcical 69 all out against England.
Veteran Proteas allrounder Marizanne Kapp will be playing her 155th Women’s ODI to become
South Africa’s most capped women cricketer in the format.
New Zealand’s Suzie Bates will also be playing her 350th ODI. She will open the batting after the White Ferns won the toss and elected to bat.
“Yeah, don’t mind it too much. I think it’ll be a hard wicket to defend later on, so don’t mind chasing,” said Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt.
“Took our learnings from it (England defeat), but at the same time, put it behind us as quickly as we could. Obviously, a quick turnaround, but I think that’s a good thing to come off today and really start the tournament properly again.”
TEAMS
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (capt), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Bree Illing
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
