Brilliant Brits rues what might have been

Although Tazmin Brits is familiar with the sensation of reaching an ODI century, her 109 against India on Tuesday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was very different from the previous two. South Africa defeated by 15 runs, to start. The home team triumphed by 216 runs in December 2023 when she scored 118 against Bangladesh at Benoni. Last April, she hit 116 in East London, but the match was called off after Sri Lanka's reply of 6.5 overs. And then there was the weather in Colombo. On Tuesday, the humidity rose to 78% and the temperature hit 34 degrees Celsius. Two and a half hours after the Tri-Series match concluded, at 8 p.m., the temperature was 30 degrees and the humidity was 75%. Tuesday's high in Klerksdorp, the hometown of the British, was 27 degrees, and the humidity never went beyond 58%. Brits said at a press briefing, "No South African is used to the heat on the subcontinent and the humidity." "It was difficult for me, particularly because I had to bat for a long time after we fielded first. I struggled and got cramps. Today, the heat prevailed. She clarified that it should not be interpreted as British people saying the Indians did not win fairly: "India played really well." They come through when it counts, which we did not do today. However, it was equally true that South Africa was controlling the game prior to the British leaving the crease to get medical attention. When she came back, India was in the process of seizing power.