Proteas star Annerie Dercksen aiming to make it big in women’s T20 leagues
Annerie Dercksen, recently named Women’s ODI Player of the Year, has the loft goal of playing in the top women’s T20 leagues while still prioritising her commitment to the Proteas. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
Fresh off her Women’s ODI Player of the Year title at the Cricket SA awards last week, Annerie Dercksen is hoping she will soon be able to crack the big T20 leagues around the world.
At 24, Dercksen made her Proteas women’s debut in 2023 and domestically has represented South Western Districts Women.
But after a strong start to her international career which has seen her amass 399 runs in 11 Women’s ODIs, at an average of a shade under 40, her performances have been noteworthy.
That resulted in her latest accolade at the CSA awards, and could in turn lead to opportunities abroad like The Hundred in the UK, the Women's Premier League in India and the Big Bash in Australia.
Dercksen’s Dream: Playing in Leagues While Prioritising the Proteas
“I think those things (the leagues) are the dream. Playing for the Proteas is obviously a massive honour and that will always be top commitment and top priority for me,” Dercksen told SportsBoom.co.za.
“But I think getting to play in the leagues and just speaking to a couple of the players, the people you meet, and the different situations and environments you find yourself in, your game grows tremendously. So, I think it would be, it would be really awesome to get into one of those leagues.”
Dercksen’s Determination: Consistent Performance and Team Success
The offers have not come rolling in for Dercksen just yet, but she is determined to keep performing until her ultimate goal is realised.
“There’s obviously space for very few international players in there, and there’s obviously very well-established international players who have made their mark. I think it’s just to continue consistently performing and winning games with the team. Hopefully, it sort of takes care of itself to get into those leagues.”
“But, for the moment, I’m just focused on trying to do my best for the Proteas and trying to make sure that I keep staying on that side and that we keep winning games.”