Awards night in Johannesburg

It was a case of third time lucky on Tuesday night when I was awarded the South African Women’s Player of the Year award at a glamorous ceremony in Sandton, Johannesburg.

I had been shortlisted twice before for the award but never managed to win the accolade, so it was a special moment to finally receive my trophy.

I think my award was in recognition of the efforts of leading the side to success at the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier and for my first ODI century against Netherlands at that event, which was especially pleasing as my coach had been working with me for a long time to try and help me reach three figures in a big match.

I always really enjoy these award evenings as it is chance to meet other members of the cricket community in South Africa and talk to sponsors about what the team have been up to. It was great that some of the men’s senior team took the time to come and chat to me and the other female nominees, who were Susan Benade and Daleen Terblanche. I had a really good chat with Graeme Smith who wanted to congratulate us on reaching the World Cup and World Twenty20 next year.

It was good to find out how the guys are preparing for their tour of England and how they compare to our preparations.

We don’t leave for the UK for another month, while the men’s team is off next week, but we both face similar challenges in our preparation and it is always useful to learn from the very best.

It’s great to have interest from the likes of Graeme and Paul Harris, who was also really supportive of our efforts, and hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to meet up at some point in the summer in England.

It would be great if our schedules permit the opportunity the chance for us to watch them in action this summer or if they could perhaps come down to some of our games.

I’m not so sure I would want to have a joint training session though and face Dale Steyn in the nets, who was one of the big award winners on Tuesday night! The interest from everybody during the course of the awards evening is a reflection of the increased interest in women’s cricket at home since the Qualifiers earlier in the year.

The media support we are receiving on the back of that event, seeing features on the side in publications like Sports Illustrated this month, is a big motivating factor for me and the whole of the team to do well as we want to do our country proud.

And if this time next year I’m writing about the great competition I faced from my team-mates in trying to win the Player of the Year award, as a result of brilliant performances at ICC events, then I will be a happy captain!