South Africa Women start Test preparations with red-ball camp

Yasmeen Khan, a former Namibian cricketer, has offered her services to South Africa and has been included in a 28-player red-ball training camp from September 27 to 30 in preparation for this season's two home Test matches against India and Australia. Yasmeen was born in George, a coastal town between Cape Town and Gqeberha. He currently plays for Dolphins, based in Durban, and has captained Namibia in 27 T20Is. She is eligible for the nation in which she was born because she recently participated in a series against Bangladesh for the emerging South African women's team.

Six uncapped South African players, including Yasmeen, have been added to the expanded squad. The other five are the all-rounders Alexandra Candler and Nicolien Janse van Rensburg, the batter Izel Cilliers, and the wicketkeepers Tebogo Macheke and Simone Lourens. They will join regulars including captain Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk and Nonkululeko Mlaba.

This group does not include Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, or Shabnim Ismail, all of whom attended the WCPL. The Canada Super 60, which runs from September 29 to October 3, will feature Kapp and Tryon. There is still no clarity on Dane van Niekerk's international future while Ayabonga Khaka is unavailable for Tests.

South Africa will play India in the first Test of the season from December 9 to 12 in Gqeberha and are scheduled to play Australia in Potchefstroom between April 11 and 14 next year for their 17th and 18th Tests respectively.

Mandla Mashimbyi, South Africa's coach, stated, "Preparing for and playing red-ball cricket is something that excites us as players and coaches." "The longer format of the game helps us achieve this continuous development because we are a team that is always eager to learn and grow as cricketers. With the players we've invited to the camp, we've purposefully swung the net wide in order to build a solid base of cricketers we can look up to for the skills and mindset needed to succeed in red-ball cricket and beyond."

Mashimbyi, who has a successful history in red-ball cricket coaching the men's domestic side Titans, has long advocated for more first-class cricket for the women's team in order to develop their skills. He stated that playing long-format cricket would assist the team in their white-ball game when he was appointed in December 2024, and he still holds that belief. Mashimbyi stated, "It also gives us the opportunity to enhance our technical and tactical blueprint, which is not only applicable to the longer format but will also help us prepare for the challenges that are ahead in one-day international and T20 International cricket." This will help us prepare for the challenges that are ahead in both formats.

Since 2007, South Africa has not won a Test, and they lost their most recent match against England in Bloemfontein. In the 2025-2029 FTP cycle, they will play five more Tests, including two this season: away to Australia and England in 2028, and at home against the West Indies in 2029.

South Africa women's training squad for red-ball cricket

Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Alexandra Candler, Izel Cilliers, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, Nicolien Janse van Rensburg, Leah Jones, Yasmeen Khan, Masabata Klaas, Simoné Lourens, Suné Luus, Tebogo Macheke, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Nthabiseng Nini, Luyanda Nzuza, Kayla Reyneke, Nondumiso Shangase, Tumi Sekhukhune, Miané Smit, Faye Tunnicliffe, Caitlin Wyngaard