Three South Africa Women players suffer injuries ahead of England Test

South Africa’s women’s team faced a major setback as three of their players, fast bowlers Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka and all-rounder Chloe Tryon, have been ruled out of the one-off Test match against England starting on June 27 in Taunton. All three were expected to start in what is South Africa’s first women’s Test in over seven years. However, injury issues means the trio won’t take the field in the iconic fixture. 

Ismail, one of the fastest bowlers in the women’s game, sustained a calf injury, while vice-captain Tryon is suffering a hip problem. Tryon, on Friday, after a practice game against England A expressed her excitement to play her first Test match since November 2014.  

South Africa captain Sune Luus insisted that despite having to play in the Test match without the skill and experience that the Ismail, Tryon and Khaka would have brought in, they are still an “amazing” team, coming off a great practice match.

I’m very excited for the younger players coming through: Sune Luus

“We would have obviously loved to have the likes of Aya, Shabnim and Chloe in our Test squad, with the experience they bring and skill sets they have,” said Luus in a press conference on Sunday. “But we still have an amazing team. We come off a great warmup match where some of the younger players really performed and put their hands up,” he added. 

“I’m still very excited for the Test match and to see what the new players can do. But I guess we are all new to playing a Test match, so it’s going to be a new experience for all of us. I’m very excited for the younger players coming through,” added Luus further. 

The last time South Africa Women played a Test was against India in Mysore, which they lost by an innings, courtesy of standout knocks of 192 runs off 430 balls by India opener Thirush Kamini and 130 runs off 355 balls by number three batter Punam Raut. Apart from the one Test in the tour of England, three ODIs and as many T20Is will be played.