Women’s Emerging Academy squad for Namibia tour unveiled

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday announced the 15-player Women’s Emerging Academy squad set to embark on a white-ball tour to Namibia from 2-12 July.

The 10-day tour will see South Africa's rising talents compete in four T20 matches from 2-6 July, followed by a three-match 50-over series scheduled for 8, 10, and 12 July against the Capricorn Eagles.

All fixtures will take place at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek.

The squad will be led by head coach Dinesha Devnarain and features a mix of experience and youth, including former SA U19 Women’s captains Oluhle Siyo (2023) and Kayla Reyneke (2025), along with Proteas Women-capped allrounder Delmi Tucker.

Further strengthening the line-up are standout performers from the 2024/25 domestic season.

Hollywoodbets Dolphins’ Alexandra Candler, who amassed 387 runs, and DP World Lions spinner Kgomotso Rapoo, who claimed 18 wickets, topped the batting and bowling charts respectively in the Hollywoodbets Pro 50 campaign.

In the T20 format, Dolphins batter Nicole de Klerk (219 runs) and Leah Jones of World Sports Betting Western Province (14 wickets) also earned their spots after stellar showings in the Hollywoodbets Pro 20 competition.

Commenting on the squad and upcoming tour, Devnarain said:

“Touring Namibia is another exciting step in our long-term strategy to bridge the gap between domestic cricket and the national setup. Having a majority of this group come off a challenging tour in Bangladesh earlier this year gives us continuity and allows us to measure growth across different conditions.

“International exposure is irreplaceable. It builds character, sharpens our understanding of the game, and gives players the confidence to express themselves at a higher level. Facing Namibia’s senior national team adds a competitive edge that will challenge our players tactically and mentally,” the coach added.

The squad will depart for Windhoek on Monday, 30 June, ahead of the opening T20 encounter on Wednesday, 2 July at 2pm SAST.

CSA Women’s Emerging Academy Squad - Tour to Namibia

Alexandra Candler (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Jenna Evans (DP World Lions), Nicole de Klerk (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Gandhi Jafta (Fidelity Titans), Leah Jones (World Sports Betting Western Province), Mona-Lisa Legodi (Fidelity Titans), Simoné Lourens (Fidelity Titans). Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Luyanda Nzuza (Fidelity Titans), Kgomotso Rapoo (DP World Lions), Verunissa Reddy (Knights), Kayla Reyneke (World Sports Betting Western Province), Oluhle Siyo (World Sports Betting Western Province), Delmi Tucker (World Sports Betting Western Province) and Caitlyn Wyngaard (World Sports Betting Western Province)

FIXTURES

T20 Series

Wednesday, 2 July @ 2pm SAST

1st T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

Thursday, 3 July @ 12pm SAST

2nd T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

Saturday, 5 July @ 2pm SAST

3rd T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

Sunday, 6 July @ 2pm SAST

4th T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

50-OVER SERIES

Tuesday, 8 July @ 10am SAST

1st 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

Thursday, 10 July @ 10am SAST

2nd 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

Saturday, 12 July @ 10am SAST

3rd 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)