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Kapp relishing ‘special’ St George’s Park homecoming

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  • Experienced all-rounder to play first international match at St George’s Park
  • Blockbuster double-header between England and India and South Africa and Australia a repeat of 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals

Proteas all-rounder, Marizanne Kapp, is relishing the opportunity to play in front of her home crowd for the first time when South Africa faces Australia in a crucial ICC Women’s T20 World Cup clash at St George’s Park on Saturday. The experienced Kapp has played 221 international matches for South Africa in all parts of the country and the world, but will be making her first appearance at her home ground in one of the most important matches of her career.

Kapp has become a household name in South African cricket and globally, with her never-say-die attitude and expert skill putting her amongst the world’s best. She hopes the many young girls who have supported her and the team will take inspiration from watching the team live in action on the world’s biggest stage.

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“I’m extremely excited to be playing an international match at St George’s Park for the first time ever,” Kapp said.  It’s going to be so special because it is going to be in front of my family and home crowd. I know Gqeberha hasn’t been blessed with many, if any, international games in the past 13 or 14 years that I have been playing. I know there are going to be many young girls supporting me and the team who haven’t had the opportunity to watch us play live, that is going to be something very special.”

South Africa’s oldest Test ground will be hosting a blockbuster double-header which is a repeat of the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final line-up, with England taking on India in the afternoon match (15h00) and South Africa and Australia locking horns later in the evening (19h00). The Proteas were on the wrong side of the result in the rain-affected semi-final in Australia in 2020, and will be looking to continue with their winning run following the impressive win against New Zealand on Monday.

“It’s an extremely important game for us,” Kapp stressed. “Unfortunately we slipped up in that first game against Sri Lanka which we are disappointed about, but now we know what we have to do. It’s always tough playing against Australia and this is no different. They are playing three matches here and our first one here will be against them, we know that it will be tough. I think if we keep on believing and every single player who walks onto that field gives their 150% we can’t ask for anything more.

“The biggest thing for us is partnerships within our game, whether that is bowling or batting, that is the thing we have been lacking, especially when it comes to the batting department. The previous game was by no means our best game but we seem to improve as we go along, that’s the most important thing, that we keep improving.”

St George’s Park will be putting on a spectacular show for the anticipated match, with live pre-match entertainment, the brass band and the Joy Brigade bringing the vibe.

Cricket came to South Africa during the Napoleonic Wars and with the British forces occupying South Africa. The first match recorded was in 1808 in Cape Town between two service teams, for a prize of one thousand rix-dollars.

The oldest cricket club in South Africa is the Port Elizabeth Cricket Club, founded in 1843. Few clubs in the world can boast such a long existence. The first championship was held in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) in 1876 for the “champion bat.” Competing teams were Cape Town, Grahamstown, King Williams Town, and Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha). It was won by King Williams Town and the year after that too.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.