The Proteas Women vs Ireland fixture on Friday at the Wanderers appears to be a dead rubber, with the home team having already secured a 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
But wicketkeeper-batter Sinalo Jafta said there would be no letting up.
She said the match would be another opportunity for some of the fringe players to cement their places in the squad and add the finishing touches to their game.
Centuries from Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus laid the foundation as the Proteas Women defeated a fighting Ireland team by 74 runs to wrap up a series victory in the second one-dayer in Gqeberha on Tuesday.
The Proteas reached 375/6 to rack up the team’s highest total in a women’s ODI match, surpassing their previous record of 337/5, achieved against Ireland in Potchefstroom in 2017.
Jafta now wants the team to complete a series whitewash.
It would be the Proteas’ first series clean sweep in three years, enabling the team to finish 2025 in style.
SA’s last clean sweep was against the same opposition in 2022.
“I think if you look at the build-up, [the players] havegrown in every game. As athletes, you always want to grow,” Jafta said.
“Being stagnant is always detrimental to your mental health, and I think what they’ve done well is they’veassessed [their performances] and literally come back with a better plan.
“They’ve shown a lot of character throughout the series.”
Jafta said she was particularly impressed with how the Proteas’ fringe players had performed in the series with key players rested.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had two different squads.
“So resting players like Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas and Nadine de Klerk, and then bringing in players like Miane Smit, Leah Jones and Faye Tunnicliffe, has been really positive.
“No matter the opposition, the mindset is to go out there and dominate, especially with a World Cup coming up in 2026.”
Jafta has been instrumental in the planning for the Bullring game as she plies her trade for the Lions.
“I think the last time I played here was against the West Indies, and I still remember just playing and being like, ‘wow, this is absolutely amazing’.
“And I think when you come to a stadium like that one, you’ve got the banks, you’ve got the crowd, you’ve got everyone.
“And when you have our families coming here, especially to close off the year, what better venue to have than that?
“And I mean, we’re going to go out there guns blazing and then just play our best brand of cricket.”
Daily Dispatch
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