Rare Test outing offers Laura Wolvaardt chance to rekindle form with bat

Besides her own unusually poor form, SA captain Laura Wolvaardt will also have to manage her players carefully, with temperatures forecast to hit 40ºC during the one-off Test against Australia in Perth.

The Waca, which will host the historic match — the first in the Test format for the Proteas women against Australia — will be like a furnace, with temperatures expected to hit 42ºC on Thursday, 36ºC on Saturday and 40ºC again on Sunday, the final day.

“Our recovery will be key. We’re not used to going back to back to back, so the physical and mental aspects will be difficult, but we will have to deal with it,” said Wolvaardt.

Heatwave

The heatwave that has affected the Western Australian capital will be a challenge for both teams, of course, and will affect the decision at the toss. Wolvaardt and her counterpart, Alyssa Healy, will have to take into account the physical demands on players — in particular the bowlers — and the need to keep them fresh for a final day when temperatures are going to be very high.

“The heat is going to be a big factor on concentration levels and that resilience factor as well,” said Healy. “We are fit enough to handle that. We spent the last little bit over in the east coast, where it’s ridiculously humid, so coming over here for the dry heat is a bit of a relief in a way,” she said.

“We’ll have everything in place from a high performance point of view, to make sure we get the best out of everyone and we’ll manage ourselves as well.”

SA will keep a close eye on Marizanne Kapp, who has had problems previously in the heat and had to skip a T20 World Cup semifinal in 2020 in Sydney because of a heart condition. Kapp’s training has been carefully managed in the build-up. If she bowls, it’s likely Wolvaardt will use her in very short spells.

As for her own form, Wolvaardt was hoping the change in format and the shift from east to west coast would bring a change in fortune. “I had a good couple of days in the nets to fix the small technical areas that have me nicking off the whole time,” she said.