Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt played the innings of a lifetime against India on Wednesday.
Image: Cricket South Africa
Proteas Women’s batter Laura Wolvaardt has long been considered the technical standard-bearer of South African cricket, but at the Wanderers on Wednesday night, she showed she can mix her classical elegance with destructive power.
In a record-breaking T20 International against India Women, Wolvaardt’s (115 off 53 balls) magnificent century anchored a historic chase, proving that the Proteas captain has mastered the balance of "keeping her shape" while being able to clear the ropes.
Wolvaardt and Sune Luus combined for a record 183-run partnership to complete the highest-ever run chase by a South African team, which also sealed the series against India in the third T20I at the Wanderers.
Chasing a daunting 191, Wolvaardt hit the ground running with a freedom that dictated the tempo of the innings. While she recently celebrated completing her university degree, a milestone she described as "satisfying" after years of balancing textbooks while travelling with the Proteas Women, this performance was a masterclass in her day job.
"I knew we had to start well chasing 190," Wolvaardt said during the post-match press conference. "I sort of just had freedom in that power play to strike it nicely, and then just kept going."
What made the innings particularly special was Wolvaardt’s evolution as a power hitter. Known for her picturesque cover drive, she has spent the last two years intentionally adding muscle to her game. However, she remains wary of losing the technical foundations that make her so consistent.
"It’s something I’ve been working on quite a lot ... finding the balance between trying to whack it and still keeping my cover drive and the way that I play," she explained. "Sometimes I lose it a bit, try to hit it a bit too hard, and lose my shape. But I feel like I found the balance nicely tonight to still keep my shape and hit some big shots."
Her partnership with Luus (64 not out from 42 balls) was pivotal. While Wolvaardt dominated the strike early on, Luus’ ability to "hang in there" and eventually notch a quick-fire fifty provided the stability required to clinch the series victory. Wolvaardt noted that the pair understands each other’s games perfectly, allowing them to remain calm even as the required run rate climbed.
Despite a "scratchy" performance in the field from the Proteas, which Wolvaardt attributed to the “big stadium and big lights” of the Wanderers and the way the ball travels in the Highveld compared to Durban, the batting unit looked revitalised.
Wolvaardt credited batting coach Baakier Abrahams’ influence, noting his calm demeanour and "pumping her tyres in the nets" to improve her game.
"Yesterday, in my training session, I literally just hit cover drives on the floor, because I feel like if my positioning is good in that, then the rest of the game will take care of itself," she added.
The fourth T20 in the five-match series will be played on Saturday (6pm start) at the Wanderers.