Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

'We're the best bowling attack in the world' - Sune Luus

Written by 
Published in Cricket
Tuesday, 14 May 2019 23:15

South Africa's stand-in captain, Sune Luus, has called her bowling attack "the best in the world" and backed them to make a dent in Pakistan's line-up in the five upcoming Twenty20 Internationals between the two sides.

After sharing the spoils in a one-day series that ended 1-1, with the third match tied, South Africa and Pakistan meet in the first T20I in Pretoria on Wednesday, and Luus expected conditions to favour batting.

"At this time of the year, the pitches in South Africa play mostly the same," Luus said. "The three pitches we played on [in the ODIs] were kind of the same. They're just flat wickets. I think we expect the same here. It's going to be a good contest for the batsmen to showcase their talent.

"It's still going to be a bit tough for our pace bowlers, but we know how great they are," she added. "They're the best bowling attack in the world. The way they've stepped up so far has been really good."

South Africa have two bowlers - Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail - ranked among the top 10 ODI bowlers in the world, with Ismail also ranked joint fifth in T20Is. Four of the top five wicket-takers in the ODI series were also part of the home side, and Ismail backed the bowling unit to carry their form into the T20s.

"It's a mindset for us," Ismail said. "I always say it's 80% mental and 20% skill. So for me it's about going out there and quickly getting the change up between the fifty over and the T20s. We love the adrenaline. The girls love the T20 format much more than the ODI stuff.

"I don't want to say too much and give out our secrets, but we'll go out there and work a lot on our variations," Ismail added. "The batters are going to come after us. They always say it's a batter's game, but we bowlers never believe that. We have to go out there and use our variations, and think cricket."

Luus admitted that the tied ODI series was "not ideal", but insisted that her batting unit had regained any confidence they lost after being bowled out for 63 in the opening match. "A positive we can take out of the three games is the way our batters came back in the second and third ODIs. That was brilliant to see, and all of the batters have huge confidence going into the T20s."

The upcoming series marks the latest phase of preparation for next year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia, with South Africa keen to begin putting their plans in place for the global showpiece.

The tournament is just over ten months away, and South Africa are aiming to use the series as a platform to evaluate different variations against a plucky Pakistan side - ranked seventh to the Proteas women's sixth place in T20 cricket.

"It's still a bit difficult with injuries, and having to leave Dane van Niekerk out of the side, but we want to get that winning formula and combinations," Luus explained. "Going into these five T20s, it's a good opportunity for us to experiment and to see more or less what the batting line-up will be like and who will bowl where. The World Cup is still a long way away and anything can happen between now and then.

"It's a good opportunity for the girls to showcase their talent and put their hand up for the selectors to say that 'We are here and we are ready for the World Cup'."

Read 659 times

Soccer

Chelsea captain James suffers new injury setback

Chelsea captain James suffers new injury setback

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsReece James has suffered another hamstring injury and will miss Che...

Miami's Gressel: Ties were 'unacceptable' to Messi

Miami's Gressel: Ties were 'unacceptable' to Messi

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMidfielder Julian Gressel said Lionel Messi demanded Inter Miami CF...

From Salah to Sterling, Ian Darke's most impressive and disappointing players

From Salah to Sterling, Ian Darke's most impressive and disappointing players

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsIf the English Premier League ended today, who would be in the runn...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Sources: NBA ASG to have pickup-style format

Sources: NBA ASG to have pickup-style format

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe NBA's new four-team tournament-style format for the 2025 All-St...

Chris Paul, Victor Wembanyama and the duo that could change the NBA

Chris Paul, Victor Wembanyama and the duo that could change the NBA

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsIT WAS THE final minute in the first quarter of Chris Paul's presea...

Baseball

MLB focusing on media rights plan for all teams

MLB focusing on media rights plan for all teams

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- For Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, the...

Pirates hire former player Hague as hitting coach

Pirates hire former player Hague as hitting coach

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have hired Matt Hague as their...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated