Two wins in their last eight ODIs against England might not inspire much confidence, but South Africa’s Chloe Tryon is unruffled by the numbers. The experienced allrounder believes past results are no longer a fair reflection of the team her side has become.
Ahead of South Africa’s Women’s World Cup opener in Guwahati on October 3, Tryon was keen to shift focus away from statistics and onto the team’s growth.
“The team has changed a lot over the last couple of years. We’ve got some young players coming in and we’ve got a lot of experienced players, and everyone’s just taken up their role really beautifully. And the way that we’ve worked behind the scenes has been really good, so I’m not looking at too much of the stats,” Tryon told the media.
Since their last 50-over meeting with England, in December 2024 on home soil, South Africa have undergone a complete transformation. A new coach, a new wicketkeeper, and a fresh pace spearhead have reshaped the squad, while their progress in the T20 format, reaching two World Cup finals, including the unforgettable semi-final win at Newlands in 2023 has given them a different frame of reference.
Several South Africans, including Tryon, Laura Wolvaardt, and Marizanne Kapp, also bring with them fresh insights from the Women’s Hundred, where they shared dressing rooms with many of their English opponents: “It’s a really good tournament to be part of and I obviously got to play with a couple of the England girls, which was pretty exciting,” Tryon said. “Just watching them, how they go about their skill and how they go about their business is really good, so hopefully I can give a lot of insight to the team.”
Tryon herself struggled with the bat in the tournament, managing just 31 runs across nine matches, but the experience, she insists, was invaluable.
Under new head coach Moreeng Mashimbyi, who took charge nine months ago, South Africa have embraced a more aggressive style of cricket. Their batting depth has become a major strength, with Anneke Bosch, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, and teenager Karabo Meso all options from No.3 to 7 or 8.
“We bat really deep which is really important in a 50-over tournament like this,” Tryon said. “As a batting unit, we’ve come a lot of strides over the last couple of months, you can see that there’s a big difference in our batting and our approach in our batting department.”
Flat pitches across India suggest this could be a World Cup defined by big scores, though South Africa have already noted signs of spin playing a role. “It takes a little bit of turn,” Tryon observed after watching the India–Sri Lanka opener.
For veterans like Tryon, Sune Luus (both playing their fourth World Cup) and Marizanne Kapp (entering her fifth), this tournament carries added significance. They know this could be their final shot at lifting a global trophy, and they are determined to leave an impact.
“As a senior group we just want to lead the way for the team,” Tryon said. “We’ve got some girls that haven’t played a 50-over World Cup before, so for us, it’s making sure that we’re taking a lot of the responsibility in the middle and creating really good environments within the squad. It’s been really good so far. The way that everyone has gelled together has been so good. We’re really excited for the first game, and we want to lead the way as a senior group by just making sure that we keep everyone as a tight unit.”
With fresh energy, deeper batting stocks, and a seasoned leadership core, South Africa believe they are far better equipped to challenge England this time around. Tryon’s message is clear: forget the history books, this is a new chapter.
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