The series includes three T20 Internationals, three One-Day Internationals, and a standalone Test in Bloemfontein.

South Africa enters the series with confidence after reaching the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE last month. While the team is still stung by their second consecutive loss in a T20 World Cup final, they also draw pride and confidence from advancing to the championship match.

The Proteas will be missing key players such as allrounder Marizanne Kapp, however, it’s creating opportunities for emerging talents like Annerie Dercksen. The former Free State allrounder is beginning to establish herself in the squad and is eager to take on the challenge.

Reflecting on the T20 World Cup, Dercksen acknowledged the lingering disappointment from Dubai but emphasised the importance of focusing on the upcoming series against a formidable English side. “We’ve gone back to basics to detox the system,” said Dercksen.

“We’ve played a lot of T20 cricket recently, so we’ve been working on getting our fundamentals right for this multi-format series. It’s been productive, and we’re eager to play our brand of cricket without worrying too much about them.”

“England is a quality side, and playing against strong opposition always brings out the best in us. We’re excited to embrace the challenge and stick to our philosophy.”

Annerie Dercksen. Photo: Cricinfo

At just 23, the Beaufort West native understands the challenges of competing across all three formats in quick succession but is confident in the team’s support structure. “The short turnaround between formats is tricky, but we have an excellent medical and management team keeping us fresh, both mentally and physically,” Dercksen added. 

“The focus is on staying sharp and switching off when needed, so we’re ready to perform when it’s time to work.”

The first T20 International between South Africa and England takes place on Sunday at Buffalo Park in East London, with the first ball set to be bowled at 18:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg