South Africa determined to avoid a repeat of mistakes in the field 

Media release

South Africa are looking to fix up in the field when they take on Scotland in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, according to captain Laura Wolvaardt.

The Proteas dropped five catches in the seven-wicket defeat to England in an early setback to their hopes of making the semi-finals for the third tournament running.

Wolvaardt’s team now return to Dubai, the scene of their emphatic victory over West Indies, hoping to bounce back against a Scotland side winless in their two matches.

Wolvaardt stressed that her side must avoid a repeat of the missed chances which allowed England to take control of Group B.

“Obviously the dropped chances are crucial,” she said.

“Two of them coming from me, which is not ideal. I think in these competitions the best fielding side obviously has a great chance of making it very far and it's definitely something that we'll have to look at.

“It's not like we didn't practice, so it's just very frustrating when it happens in the game.”

Wolvaardt admits South Africa found the conditions more to their liking in Dubai but there is an unknown in terms of the opposition, with the Proteas having never previously faced Scotland in the T20I format.

With little margin for error in their hopes of making the final four, Wolvaardt has urged her side to focus on results before worrying too much about net run rate.

“It's not like England completely outplayed us,” said Wolvaardt. “I feel like if we took our chances, ran a bit better in the middle, rotated better, we could have had a good chance of winning that game.

“The team talk is that we’ve still got two very important games. I think if we win them well, we still have a big chance of making the semis.

“Net run rate might be a message that will come up if we're chasing in the final two games but winning is the priority for the next two.”

South Africa might take inspiration from the fast improvements Scotland have made in the field, with skipper Lorna Jack-Brown pleased with their progress in the six-wicket defeat to West Indies.

“We had a bit of trouble with our catching,” said Jack-Brown.

“It's a different ball game under the lights, so I think the team have done quite well and taken their learnings from the Bangladesh game.

“It's just about volume really. We know how to catch, we can catch, but it's different in the light and all the conditions.

“I think in the Bangladesh game the nerves were there and with the conditions and everything, you've got to think about quite a lot of things when you're out there.

“We just went back to basics, got under the ball and hopefully your hands will take it.”

ENDS