Proteas rookie Kayla Reyneke smashed three sixes in the final over New Zealand superstar Sophie Devine in Hamilton.
Image: BackpagePix
There is certainly a new wave of young cricketers emerging from South Africa.
They are no longer cautious and tentative as they take their first steps into the international arena. Instead, they are brave, brash and full of confidence eager to confront challenges head on.
The Proteas’ Men’s side unearthed a raw diamond in 19-year-old Nqobani Mokoena a couple nights ago in Hamilton. And now Kayla Reyneke has shown that her equally impressive debut performance for the Proteas Women's side in Potchefstroom last month was no flash in the pan.
The former SA Under-19 captain has been a breath of fresh air blowing through the national women’s team, and she once again proved that she’s the go-to in the clutch moments.
Reyneke, 20, smashed an unbeaten 28 off just nine balls, which included three sixes off the legendary Sophie Devine in the final over of the Proteas innings. It ultimately proved the difference for the Proteas as they levelled the series through an 18-run victory.
Whereas Mokoena termed his debut “fun” and “cool” the other evening, Reyneke thought her performance “was pretty sick”.
The onslaught on Devine was indeed brutal, especially considering the legendary Kiwi’s status in the women’s game.
Devine, 36, made her international debut when Reyneke was barely out of diapers, is a current T20 World Cup champion, a member of the highly exclusive club of women with over 4 000 ODI runs and 100 ODI wickets, and just last week was signed by the Welsh Fire for a joint record £210 000 (R4.67 million) at The Hundred auction.
But all those accolades mattered not a speck to Reyneke, who was more enthralled with the opportunity of batting with her own hero, Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt.
“It was pretty sick. Batting with Wolvaardt, dream come true,” Reyneke said.
“It is not the name (Devine), but the ball. Just watching the ball and clearing the boundary. Happy to get a win for the team. I’m enjoying every moment in the setup.”
Captain Wolvaardt, who also returned to form with an unbeaten 41 not out off 33 balls after a rare failure at the Bay Oval, was also full of praise for the youngster, especially as it paved the way for the Proteas to level up the series.
“Really nice to bounce back. Much, much better performance overall. Great batting intent and we hit our plans with the ball.
“(On Reyneke's hitting) Lovely. Lost our way after the start. Hard to come in (and go at it), lovely to see Reyneke do that. Happy to know we have such power (through the batting line-up.”
The Proteas will travel to Auckland for the third T20I in much better spirits now as the bowling unit also rediscovered some form with seamer Ayabonga Khaka (4/27) and left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba (3/27) combining for seven wickets that saw the White Ferns dismissed for 159, while opener Tazmin Brits also struck her 15th T20I half-century in the Proteas' 177/5.