Wolvaardt’s desire to adapt bearing fruit for South Africa

• Laura Wolvaardt scored one of the innings of the tournament against Pakistan
• But it hasn’t come easy for the 20-year-old down at No.5
• Captain Dane van Niekerk believes she will be one of the ‘legends’

Dane van Niekerk knows it. Most of South African cricket knows it and perhaps the world is starting to realise it.

But such is the modesty of a 20-year-old that needed just one innings to light up the Women’s T20 World Cup, Laura Wolvaardt stands alone in playing down her limitless future.

“It was an incredible innings from Laura. It was only her third time batting at No.5,” continued the captain.

“For her to display her skill like that and getting us that winning total, the way she went about it, she is mature beyond her years.”

Return to the start and it’s easy to see why Van Niekerk speaks so highly of South Africa’s ‘Teen Wolverine’.

The Proteas had won two from two heading into Sunday’s match with Pakistan, knowing one further victory would take them into the semi-finals for just the second time.

But with a canny Pakistan attack on a tricky Sydney Showground pitch, success was far from a shoo-in.

Indeed when the skipper herself, as well as Lizelle Lee and Mignon du Preez, fell within ten overs, the weight of the task became clear.

Wolvaardt is no doubt a classy player, averaging 45 in ODIs and becoming South Africa’s youngest centurion in international cricket when 17.

Her game is built around ‘proper’ shots without a hint of slog, but the level at which she executed that in Sydney was sensational.

“It really meant a lot to me. I think it's probably the biggest contribution I've made to this team, if I think about the importance of today and the World Cup,” she said. “I'm really happy things that worked out the way they did.”

Her 53 from 36 balls tells only part of the story, the strike rate of 147.22 the second best in her T20I career, making a mockery of any perceived batting limitations.

First came a half-volley drilled wide of long-on, a shot bursting with timing and power as Wolvaardt’s side reached for late-innings impetus.

Each shot was increasingly impressive, Aiman Anwer so often on the end of it: carved wide of long on and then drilled through the covers as the 20-year-old orchestrated a late-order flourish which would ultimately secure South Africa’s spot in the last four.

Still there was more, the 20th over a highlights reel in itself with amazing power and glorious timing through cover seeing Wolvaardt finish with three fours in three balls and a maiden Women’s T20 World Cup half-century to her name.

This, remember, all from a player in the infancy of her days at No.5.

“I guess I'm not a natural big hitter,” she added. “It's been quite a journey for me to get my spot in this T20 side, and it's been something I've been working on pretty hard.

“I focus on my basics, and if the base is really good, you can kind of go on from there.”

To credit this innings solely on the 20-year-old’s ability wouldn’t do justice to the work she has undertaken to get to Australia with a plan.

Choosing cricket over medicine and a place at the University of Stellenbosch, Wolvaardt has thrown all her eggs into one basket and hasn’t left anything to chance to make it a success.

“The role was very challenging in the beginning,” said coach Hilton Moreeng. “She had to realise that to impact a game like she did this one was going to require a lot of hard work.

“We sat her down and said it’s not working for her in the top, and her response was ‘how do I get better and how do I stay in this side?’ – she’s young and absorbs a lot and we believe in what she can do.”

Two years was already long enough to play the patient approach but Wolvaardt had to wait longer still, not required to bat in South Africa’s opening two victories.

Until now, her one moment to write home about was a tremendous catch in victory over Thailand.

Understandably “itching to get out there”, she made up for lost time with a knock that will go down as one of the best of the tournament. Chanceless, confident and classy all in the same breath.

But still, after playing a knock that few in the tournament have matched to date, the Milnerton-born sensation still had others to thank.

“Dane came to sit next to me in the dugout and she was telling me exactly what was on, what wasn't on,” she added. “It was really nice to have those senior players. When I went out to bat, Kappy [Marizanne Kapp] was also batting with me.

“So it was nice to rub off of them, and they really told me which options were good.”

Soon it will be Wolvaardt that all the starlets will turn to – and it feels only a matter of time before Van Niekerk’s ‘legendary’ prophecy will come to fruition.