Johannesburg - After the SA team’s heroics earlier this year in the Women’s T20 World Cup, the baton has been passed on to the netball Proteas, Banyana Banyana and Springboks to make the nation proud.
The national women’s cricketing team achieved the improbable in the T20 World Cup on home soil in February, reaching the final for the very first time before losing to Australia.
The World Cup spirit is set to continue on the South African shores with the national women’s netball team Proteas, opening their arms to the world for the very first global showpiece in the sport on African soil in July.
Many will also be rooting for the national women’s football team, Banyana, who’ll be participating in their second successive global showpiece in Australia and New Zealand from afar.
For Banyana, this will be no ordinary World Cup. They’ve matured since their maiden World Cup in 2019 such that they didn’t qualify as mere Wafcon finalists this year, but as the reigning African Queens.
It has been a year full of triumphs for Banyana that the team – technical team and players - continue to be acknowledged both on and off the pitch.
Coach Desiree Ellis has led by example, adding another feather to her cap by being honoured with the Order of Ikhamanga by SA President Cyril Ramaphosa last month.
“It was amazing. It was unexpected that I never do things for rewards or awards. It’s always about the team first because they do well to stand out,” Ellis said after receiving the award.
“I am just blessed that I was one of those. But I don’t work alone, I work with a technical staff, support staff, the players, and coaches in the league. They all play a part.
“The award is for everyone that’s involved in women’s football for the role they’ve (the coaches) played. We seen the players for maybe three or five days, and they spend most of the time with them.”
Ellis was honoured among some of the most well known SA names in sport, arts and culture at the presidential guest house, including Rugby World Cup winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.
Kolisi, though, couldn’t attend the event due to an injury that has cast doubt over his chances of recovering in time for their World Cup title defence in France from September.
Nonetheless, the party had to continue with Kolisi’s wife representing her husband at the event, while Ellis wished Kolisi, who’s a staunch Banyana supporter, well in his recovery process.
“I met him at the cricket, and he was going crazy. He was saying, ‘we watch a lot of your games, and we give you support’. And likewise, we watch a lot of their games, cricket, and netball,” Ellis said.
Ellis wants her team to thrive under pressure following the Momentum’s Proteas’ impressive run.
“The cricket is putting pressure on netball. And netball will put pressure on us. But we want to wish the Spar Proteas all the best,” Ellis said.
“It must be an amazing feeling playing your World Cup at home. You have your fans in the stadium – because normally you play away.”
Banyana could also play the global event on home soil – just like Bafana did in 2010 – if Safa wins the bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup. But for now, all the focus is on following in the footsteps of the cricketers in July.
@Mihlalibaleka
IOL Sport