Skipper Khanyisa Chawane keeps feet on ground after Proteas’ gritty win over England

A suffocating defensive performance and composure in a tense finish gave the Proteas the perfect platform to draw first blood against England’s Roses in the Spar Challenge – but captain Khanyisa Chawane has warned there is little room for complacency as the series unfolds.

South Africa held firm under sustained pressure to edge the Roses 52-48 in the opening Test at a packed Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg on Thursday night.

That result layed down an early marker in the three-match series while acknowledging that key lessons must still be absorbed after a testing third-quarter fightback from the visitors.

“I won’t say it was the best game that we’ve ever played, but we stayed in it … Our defenders were trying to keep us in that game, and we were also making sure that whatever chances we could get to actually capitalise, we did. I’m happy that we found ourselves in a position where we could actually finish strong,” Chawane said after the match.

“That third quarter could have thrown us off and they could have just taken the win, but I think when we saw them coming, we regrouped ourselves and made sure that even those who were coming in were on the same page to finish this game strong.” 

Coach Jenny van Dyk was also thrilled that they were able to hold their nerve after the mid-match wobble.

“We had great momentum in that first quarter. Second quarter we stayed in it and we knew after half-time that they were going to come out with a full counter-plan,” she said.

The fourth-ranked Roses roared back into the contest in the championship quarter, and Van Dyk will have to figure out how to ensure there isn’t a drop-off in intensity and focus when changes are made. 

“We didn’t quite adapt to what they were giving us that well, and they came back into the game. It was a game of chess, making quite a lot of changes and making quite a lot of plans, but I think the players just stepped up and really showed that they wanted this win, and they battled it out all the way to the end, so that was fantastic,” the coach concluded. 

The fifth-ranked Proteas have the chance to seal the series with victory in Saturday’s second Test at Ellis Park Arena at 5pm. The last match takes place on Sunday at 4pm.