Dane Van Niekerk dropped from South Africa World Cup squad
A cricket legend has been dropped for the T20 World Cup after failing “to meet the minimum criteria for fitness”.
South African legend Dane Van Niekirk has been left out of South Africa’s squad for their home T20 World Cup campaign after failing “to meet the minimum criteria for fitness”.
Van Niekirk ran a personal best 2km time trial of 9 minutes and 48 seconds on January 27, but South Africa’s fitness standards require its women’s cricketers to do so in at least 9 minutes and 30 seconds.
Van Niekirk is the only woman to have scored more than 1,500 runs and taken more than 50 wickets in T20 internationals for South Africa, and has captained the side in all formats since 2016.
Watch BBL12. Every game live and ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
She missed South Africa’s tour of England last year with an ongoing ankle injury, which the Proteas lost 14-2.
Her wife, Marizanne Kapp, has been named in the squad, with Van Niekerk posting a message on Instagram to say she was “absolutely broken”.
Van Niekerk had lost 10kg since the 2022 edition of The Hundred, and met all of her markers except the 2km time trial.
Selector Clinton Du Preez said “everyone is quite familiar with the situation and what is required.
“In December (when Van Niekerk was dropped for a tri-series against the West Indies and India), we set it out clearly with where she needs to be.
“Dane will always be missed on the cricket field.”
The shock exclusion comes after star South African batter Lizelle Lee retired from international cricket during the series against England, claiming that failing a weight test was a “significant factor” in the decision.
“I looked like this last year and I had a brilliant year,” she said.
Lee was crowned the leading women’s cricketer in the world by Wisden in April 2022, as well as the ICC women’s ODI cricketer of the year in 2021, but told reporters she didn’t even look at herself in the mirror anymore, because she didn’t like the way she looked.
“Every time I’m in (South Africa) camp, it’s always about my weight.
“Emotionally, it breaks a person down.”
Lee told the BBC podcast Stumped that she had passed her other fitness markers, but was dropped because of her weight.
“I know I don’t look like an athlete but that doesn’t mean I can’t do my job,” she said.
Since her retirement, Lee has moved to Australia and has been playing for the Hobart Hurricanes and Tasmania Tigers.
South Africa have begun rigorously applying new fitness standards over the last two years across both their men’s and women’s setups, with men’s fast bowler Sisanda Magala also recently missing out on the basis of the fitness standards.
“Fitness in South Africa is only running,” he said, referring to the 2km time trial.
“When do you run a whole two kilometres consistently on a cricket field?”
Not everyone is against the strict application of fitness standards, however.
Former India fitness trainer Greg King says a player may well be skilful, but “if you put more underlying fitness around that skill, the longer you will be able to execute those skills”.
He also defended the 2km time trial as a testing mechanism, saying “aerobic fitness plays an important role in how quickly we recover from high intensity activity.
“Being able to recover quickly after a sprint is important for cricket performance since it greatly impacts how a bowler can execute the next delivery or a batter can complete the next run.”
SA's fitness standards require female cricketers to run 2 kms in 9 minutes 30 seconds. SA skipper Dane van Niekerk was over by 18 seconds.
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) January 31, 2023
18 seconds over the limit and left out of the T20 World Cup team.
Skill over fitness? Fitness over skill?
Former Middlesex captain Isabelle Westbury said on Twitter she thinks she’s “A-okay with players being dropped from international representation for not meeting fitness standards.
“Those criteria need to be uniform to ensure equality of opportunity, etc.
“The game is bigger than one player or tournament, but about encouraging and adopting standards and aspirations of a next generation of athletes.
“Failure to set that standard means a failure to demonstrate what a young athlete should be aspiring to, and the discipline required to achieve it.
“Women’s cricket now is competing with other sports to find the best athletes.
“Cricket needs to be at the forefront of tech, innovation and indeed athleticism if it wants to continue to attract the best of the best, and challenge established sports in the future.
“Set standards, stick to them, thrive.
“Anime sane in corporo sano, and all that …”
The news sent social media into a meltdown, with journalist Melinda Farrell saying on Twitter it “gobsmacked” her.
I guess it was foreshadowed but I'm gobsmacked that Dane van Niekerk isn't in SA's WC squad. Surely fitness targets aren't black & white? Is she one of the best 15 cricketers in the country? Without a doubt, imo. Not to mention her experience and cricket brain.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) January 31, 2023
Writer Cameron Posonby called it “mad”.
Women’s cricket administrator Yash Lahoti said it “has to be one of the craziest decisions of all time.”
South Africa now face the prospect of a home World Cup campaign without four of its most senior players in Lee and Van Niekirk, as well as Mignon du Preez and Trisha Chetty.
The 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup begins on February 10, with South Africa’s first game against New Zealand in Paarl.
Cheeky act sparks ‘spirit of cricket’ debate
Tom Curran appears to have learnt nothing from Jonny Bairstow’s costly Ashes mistake but his blushes were saved by an act of true sportsmanship.
Mooney magic lifts Aussies to Ashes win
A superb unbeaten half-century to Beth Mooney propelled Australia to a commanding 72-run win in Saturday night’s T20 International against England at Adelaide Oval, the result continuing the visitors’ Women’s Ashes nightmare.
Rolled for 15 to BBL final: Sangha’s road back from rock bottom
Jason Sangha was captain the night Sydney Thunder was skittled for 15. Then, he spent years out of the team. As LACHLAN MCKIRDY explains, it’s why he’s savouring every moment of his first BBL final.