Tough Test return fuels Proteas' hunger for more

A heavy Test defeat to Australia has done nothing to dampen South Africa’s appetite for the format, with Proteas players now eager to host the world’s best team in a return match. 

Australia sealed an innings-and-284-run victory in the one-off Test at the WACA Ground inside three days, in the first women’s match between the sides in the format. 

It was the second heaviest defeat by an innings in the history of women’s Tests, but South Africa noticeably improved with the bat between their first and second innings. 

After being rolled for 76 on the opening day, the tourists, led by half-centuries to Delmi Tucker and Chloe Tryon, frustrated Australia through the third day before being bowled out for 215. 

"That shows a lot of character I think, from having our backs against the wall to come up like that shows a lot about a player," Tryon said of Tucker’s innings after the match.  

"We would have loved to push it to tomorrow but there's a lot of learnings and a lot of positives we can take from it. 

"We'd love to play more red-ball and multi-format series are obviously a really good challenge ... I've loved watching Test cricket from when I was young." 

South Africa always had the cards stacked heavily against them coming into this match. 

Their last Test was against England in June 2022, and prior to that, they had not played the format since 2014, and Ellyse Perry alone had more Test caps than their entire squad combined. 

Australia had also played two Tests in the previous eight months, an unusual experience for a group used to playing one per year at best. 

The Test also came last in the multi-format series, with just three days to train and prepare following the third ODI. 

The tight schedule also meant the Proteas were not afforded a warm-up match. 

England faced a similar situation when they played their first Test in India since 2005 last December, with a two-day turnaround following a three-game T20I series. 

Despite having an experienced Test line-up – relatively speaking, given the overall scarcity of the format in the women’s game – they were humbled, bowled out for 136 and 131 as India secured a 347-run victory before lunch on the third day. 

"I do think so," South Africa allrounder Nadine de Klerk said when asked if a warm-up game would have aided their cause in Perth.  

"As South Africans we don't play (red-ball cricket) at home.  

"It's quite difficult to compete at Test level if you only play one Test every two or three years, it becomes really difficult.  

"That would definitely help us as a side, trying to figure it out quicker than playing a Test match maybe every two or three years.  

"When we played in England, we played a warm-up game before the actual test and I really think that's important in any format of the game." 

Speaking on radio during the game, Beth Mooney agreed, saying in an ideal world, the Test match would be played first in multi-format series to allow time for a warm-up game. 

Australia had that opportunity on their last Ashes tour in 2023, playing England A ahead of the Test at Trent Bridge. 

In 2019, the Test fell in the middle of the multi-format Ashes, but an extended gap after the ODIs provided a window for both Australia and England to play a three-day game against each other’s ‘A’ sides. 

"Both teams are in the same position, we only had a couple of days to prepare … (but) I do think in the context of the series perhaps playing it first would be ideal, you can get a bit more time to prepare and the touring party can play a three-day practice game and get used to the conditions a bit earlier," Mooney told ABC radio.  

"Multi-format series are the way to go for us to get Test matches in, so it would be really nice to see other countries get on board this format."  

South Africa are pencilled in to host England in a Test match in December, but their next red-ball engagement after that remains to be seen. 

Tryon said the Proteas would be delighted to host the Australians, and have a crack at winning back the multi-format trophy Alyssa Healy’s team lifted on Sunday after taking out the series 12-4. 

"They're the number one team in the world - they can come tomorrow if they want," she said. 

Women's CommBank T20I Series v South Africa

First T20: Australia won by eight wickets

Second T20: South Africa won by six wickets

Third T20: Australia win by five wickets

Women's CommBank ODI Series v South Africa

First ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

February 7: South Africa won by 84 runs

February 10: Australia won by 110 runs (DLS method)

Women's CommBank Test Match v South Africa

February 15-18: Only Test, WACA Ground, Perth 11.00am

Australia Test squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

South Africa Test squad: Laura Wolvaardt, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Chloé Tryon, Delmi Tucker