Brits primed for Proteas showdown in Pakistan

Allowing herself to be expressive without too much pressure to perform could be key to scoring big runs, Proteas batter Tazmin Brits said on Monday.

The Garden Route Badgers star was speaking after a late-night training session at the National Stadium in Karachi where the Proteas Women will face Pakistan in a six-match limited-overs series starting on Friday.

The series consists of three T20 internationals before three ODIs, all of which will be played in Karachi between September 1 and 14.

Brits, who occasionally dons the wicketkeeper gloves, is mostly known for her role as an opening batter alongside new interim captain Laura Wolvaardt.

Her prowess with the bat in the 20-over format speaks for itself in her career stats of 793 runs from 36 matches, including seven fifties and a high score of 70.

In the longer white-ball format, she has earned just 12 caps, scoring 229 runs with a highest score of 48.

“I’m a bit nervous, but also excited at the same time,” Brits said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I’m trying not to.

“I must back myself more because I know I am good enough. I normally say it would be nice to get a 50, but having seven behind my name [in T20Is], I wouldn’t mind actually scoring a century, whether it is in T20s or ODIs.

“I’d also like to get our side into better positions in the power plays because Wolfie and I never did that well enough in the World Cup. 

“So if we have a chance this time around, we can push that 60-70 runs in the power play and actually put our team in a better position to chase those 200s,” she said.

Brits compared Pakistan’s conditions to what they would find in other subcontinent nations, where the pitches tend to favour slow bowling.

“I have picked up and have googled a bit and believe it is a lot like India, slow and low as they say, with a bit of grip.

“I also think the older the ball gets, the slower it gets, so we are going to have to target the power plays.

“My game is always the same if I am the opening batter. I go hard and show a lot of intent, so I won’t change too much,” the 32-year-old said.

Brits said the team has a good idea of how best to neutralise the Pakistan spin attack in their own backyard.

“It is probably the most spinners I have seen in a cricket team. I think they only have one seamer in the side.

“Sometimes spin bowling can be beneficial [for the batting side] because if they miss their length, you can either go back or forward, so it is about choosing the right ball and attacking them at the right time,” she said.

Playing under lights could also pose a different challenge for the team, but Brits is confident they will overcome any obstacles.

“We always worry about the bat and ball. However, I think fielding will also be important. It is a night game, so playing under lights will play a big part.”