KNYSNA NEWS - Resident of Knysna and batter for the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers, Tazmin Brits, has been stamping her authority on the international stage.
In her last two innings at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, she scored a defiant 45 in their loss against Australia and most recently a great 50* against Bangladesh to help secure the Proteas' spot in the semi-finals.
Brits is a top-order batter, opening the batting for the Proteas alongside the ever-elegant Laura Wolvaardt. Her 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign got off to a slightly rocky start with a highest score of only 12 in the first match against Sri Lanka, which she didn't better in the second match.
After a score of only one run against Pakistan and in need of a bounce-back, Brits and the Proteas faced an uphill battle when they took on defending champions Australia in Gqeberha last Saturday, 18 February.
The Proteas were kept to only 124-6 in their 20 overs, and Brits scored more than a third of the runs as she mustered a well-played and well-crafted 45 off only 36 balls. She was the top scorer and the only Proteas batter to really find her feet against the tough Aussie side.
The women from down under ultimately won by six wickets, meaning the Proteas would need to dig deep and overcome a tricky Bangladesh side in Cape Town on Tuesday 21 February if they were to make the semi-finals.
A great bowling effort saw the Proteas restrict Bangladesh to 113-6 in their innings, with Brits aiding the cause through taking a catch off Shabnim Ismail's bowling. But, the real magic was yet to come.
Brits and her opening partner, Wolvaardt, put on a fine batting display, steering the Proteas to a resounding 10-wicket victory with 13 balls to spare. They were both at their best and complemented each other well, as Wolvaardt attacked and took the game to Bangladesh.
She scored 66* off 56 balls while Brits played a very calm and measured 50* off 51 balls, which was her sixth half-century in the WT20I format.
The triumph over Bangladesh sets up the Proteas' fourth successive semi-final against England. They have lost each of the last three semi-finals and will be hoping to set the record straight in front of some undying home support in Cape Town on Friday.
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