In a special moment at Wellington’s Basin Reserve on April 1, 2026, South Africa’s seasoned all-rounder Sune Luus etched her name into the history books, becoming just the third Protea woman after Mignon Du Preez and Marizanne Kapp to notch up her 150th ODI appearance.
The 30-year-old walked out at number 4 in the first innings of the second ODI against New Zealand, skippered by Amelia Kerr, and delivered a gritty 40 off 43 balls, complete with 4 boundaries, to propel South Africa to a mammoth 346/6 in 50 overs. Luus backed it up with the ball too, claiming 1-21 off 3 overs, but heartbreak followed as Kerr’s unbeaten 179 (139 balls, 23 boundaries, 1 six) powered New Zealand to the highest-ever run chase in women’s cricket history, a thrilling 2-wicket win that levelled the three-match ODI series 1-1.
This landmark came during New Zealand’s hosting of South Africa from March 15 to April 4, 2026, for a 5-match T20I series (which the Kiwis won 4-1) and the ODIs. South Africa, led by Laura Wolvaardt, had snatched the series opener by 2 wickets, but Amelia Kerr’s heroics in the 2nd ODI earned her Player of the Match and set the stage for a decider at the same venue in Wellington on 4th April 2026.
In the ongoing white-ball tour, Luus has been a standout, amassing 93 runs at a strike rate of 80.86 and an average of 46.50 across two innings, including a half-century, making her South Africa’s leading run-scorer and the series’ fourth highest.
Sune Luus’s journey to 150 ODIs is a testament to her all-round prowess since her debut on September 6, 2012, against Bangladesh at Mirpur. With the bat, she’s piled up 3,120 runs in 130 innings across 150 matches at an average of 28.10 and a strike rate of 69.72, featuring 21 half-centuries and 2 centuries. Her pinnacle arrived on December 16, 2025, against Ireland at St George’s Park, Gqeberha, where she smashed 114 off 113 balls (13 boundaries, 1 six) at number 4, fueling South Africa’s 375/6 en route to a 74-run victory.
On the bowling front, Luus has been equally devastating, snaring 128 wickets in 108 innings at an average of 23.78 and economy of 4.60, with 3 four-wicket hauls and 5 five-wicket hauls. Her career-best spell? A match-winning 6-36 off 10 overs on August 5, 2016, against Ireland in Dublin, defending 284 for an 89-run triumph.
As Laura Wolvaardt-led South Africa eyes redemption after a heartbreaking 32-run defeat to New Zealand in the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (9th edition, hosted by Bangladesh but played in the UAE), Sune Luus’s milestone fuels the fire ahead of the 10th edition in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, 2026. At 30, this all-round warrior remains a cornerstone, blending experience with firepower for the Proteas.
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