South Africa's 'Top Four' dream still alive
The Momentum Proteas Women may have lost out on the opportunity to play in the final of the ICC Women's World Cup 2013 in India, but they are still nursing hopes of breaking into the coveted Top Four of the Reliance ODI rankings. Stalwart, Cri-Zelda Brits is looking forward to South Africa's Super Sixes match against defending champions, England and believes that they can achieve a win following the few upsets that have occurred in the competition so far.
"England were given quite a shock when they lost to Sri Lanka recently and I think this has shown just much the gap between the Top Four and the bottom four has closed, " she said. "We also saw India getting knocked out of the competition held in their backyard so these results bode well for us. We gave Australia a run for their money when we played them and I strongly believe we have the team that can beat England, it's just about applying the basics."
South Africa will look to come back from a disappointing two-wicket loss against the West Indies on Friday to give the English Roses a run for their money. Brits says the team is looking to bounce back hard and make a good come back.
"We were very disappointed in ourselves yesterday (Friday). The bowlers didn't pitch up for the game and all the extras and fielding errors let us down, but that's over now, we're looking to tomorrow, not yesterday," she said.
England, who also lost their first match of the Super Sixes against Australia by just two runs will almost certainly want to make an example of the Proteas but Brits says the team is looking forward to the challenge and also, to a strong fight back from the South Africans. They have not succeeded in beating England in their recent clashes, but have shown glimpses of brilliance where the defending champions were put on the back foot and had to tussle for their victories.
"What's important for us as a team is to not focus on the opposition we're facing, but on ourselves and our own game. Since the tour to the Caribbean, there are a lot of things we have improved on and if we stick to those things and not look at the fact that we've been beaten by this side so many times, we'll have a chance to beat them," she concluded.
