Brits and Wolvaardt partnership works like a dream for Proteas

When you look at the best teams in ICC competitions, there is always that batting combination where spectators can relax, knowing that 90% of the time they will deliver.

One can think of Sri Lankan pair Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who graced men’s ODI cricket from 2000 to 2015, and Australia’s dominance in the early 2000s owed much to the destructive opening pair of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden.

This was mainly because their classical batting styles beautifully complemented each other.

That is what you see when you watch Proteas women opening pair Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt during the ICC Women’s ODI Championship (2022-2025) which determines qualification for the World Cup.

The Proteas are second in the championship table behind Australia, and this is partially thanks to Brits (468 runs) and Wolvaardt (585 runs), who have accumulated 1,053 runs between them.

They have already cemented themselves in the tournament’s history books with their South African record opening partnership of 243 against Bangladesh in 2023.

Their partnerships have played an equally important role in the shortest format championship and have helped the side put up big totals.

They have the ability to pile more pressure on the opposition from both ends, forcing the fielding team to change strategy repeatedly.

They did exactly that in the opening ODI of three against Sri Lanka in East London on Tuesday evening which was declared a no-result because of persistent rain.

Desperately wanting to turn their fortunes around after their 2-1 T20 series loss to the subcontinent islanders, Klerksdorp’s Brits and Wolvaardt got the Proteas off to a flyer with a 94-run opening stand.

It was a thing of beauty and a great study of patience as they constructed their knocks like builders laying bricks.

“For some reason, if she gets going, I get going as well. It is always nice and comfortable batting with someone world class like her,” Brits said.

“We have seen what she has done in her career. She has got so many runs and that gives me a lot of comfort knowing that she can also score.”

In the game, Wolvaardt struck a well-played 41 runs off 57 balls, while Brits compiled a superb 116 off 128 balls.

The ton consisted of 12 fours and was her second in the 50-over format and almost equalled her best of 118, which came against Bangladesh in December.

However, her brilliant century was in vain as rain arrived in Buffalo Park during Sri Lanka’s 271-run chase.

The Asian outfit had reached 23 without loss in 6.5 overs, still way short of the required 20 overs to constitute a match.

“I’m a bit chuffed because I had a dip in the T20s and the century really helped me,” Brits said.

“Once again, patience was the key for us in this game,” she said.

The Proteas will now turn their attention to the second ODI in Kimberley on Sunday and Brits said the batting form of the East London game would be among the positives they take to it.

“Our batting was good. We are looking at those big scores against teams like Sri Lanka. The positive is that we reached that before the game was rained out because we were able to line up everything,” she said.