Proteas Women’s final loss ‘hurts more than last year’

Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt admitted afterwards that her team expected to win Sunday’s T20 World Cup final and described not doing so as “very disappointing”. 

SA crashed to a 32-run defeat against an aggressive New Zealand, leaving players and their families, who had travelled to Dubai at the last minute, disconsolate.

“It’s not a nice feeling,” said Wolvaardt. 

She and interim coach Dillon du Preez were seen locked in conversation afterwards, with Wolvaardt revealing the pair had discussed how big an opportunity had been missed. 

“Before the game we really felt this was our year — a lot of people felt that way. Some had a feeling in their pinky finger that we would win. But mother cricket is always in charge and has bigger plans. We were having a laugh about that and the fact you can never predict what will happen,” said Wolvaardt.

There were many tears among players and family members as they absorbed the pain of a loss many had not anticipated. 

“A lot of us flew the family in with the thought we would win. But looking now, it’s good they are here for the loss,” said Wolvaardt. “My parents look more sad than I did, which is heartbreaking.”

In the wake of their dominant display to dispatch Australia in the semifinal, the Proteas were widely regarded as favourites for the final against the White Ferns. 

“This one hurts more,” Wolvaardt said when asked to compare Sunday’s defeat with SA’s loss to Australia in the 2023 final, which took place at Newlands.

“Last year we were really excited to be in the final, it was our first and we enjoyed the opportunity. But this year, after the cricket we played in the semi, I really thought we would have it in the bag if we played a similar game, but to play one of our worst games in the tournament in the final is really disappointing. We were outplayed on the day.”

New Zealand set SA a target of 159, the highest for a World Cup final, and one which Wolvaardt thought was about 20 runs too many.

“They came out with some real intent. It caught us on the back foot. We thought we could ride it out, score a wicket or two but they kept going and rotated [the strike] really well.”

In a strategy mimicking what SA did against Australia in the semi, the New Zealanders attacked the Proteas in the batting power play, aiming to hammer their best bowler, Marizanne Kapp. Though they had success initially, Kapp did bounce back well in her last three overs, though, rarely for her, she completed her four overs without taking a wicket. 

That was a significant psychological blow the Kiwis were able to land and with SA struggling to take the wickets needed to put them under pressure, in the second half of their innings they punched.

Player of the tournament Amelia Kerr with 43 and an innings turning 38 off 28 balls by Georgia Halliday wrested the initiative New Zealand’s way.

Wolvaardt said her team were a “bit off it” in the latter stages of New Zealand’s innings, with the Kiwis scoring 79 runs in the last eight overs, while the concession of 15 extras, including 10 wides and three no-balls, didn’t help their cause. 

It meant that despite a good start from Wolvaardt in the Proteas’ power play, in which they matched New Zealand’s scoring, the fact they couldn’t get ahead of the required rate was always going to increase the pressure during the run chase. 

Kerr made two crucial breakthroughs in the 10th over, removing Wolvaardt and semifinal heroine Anneke Bosch, all but ending SA’s challenge.

“We came second, we had a pretty good tournament and there are a lot of positives to reflect on,” said Wolvaardt. “It’s a younger group and to make the final with the younger group is promising. Definitely a lot to look forward to. I can’t wait to see what we do in the next few World Cups. Reaching back-to-back finals shows we are doing something right.”

The Proteas will have a new coach in place for those assignments. Cricket SA is expected to announce a permanent head coach at the start of November before a busy season that includes a full series with England, and a first Test on home soil in 22 years.