Sinalo Jafta doesn’t view Karabo Meso as competition as Proteas Women gear up for Sri Lanka clash

WHEN Karabo Meso was making her come up in domestic cricket, many assumed that Sinalo Jafta would be under the pump for her spot in the Lions women’s team in domestic cricket, as well as the Proteas Women side.

After all, the 17-year-old Meso is a much more skilled batter than the 30-year-old Jafta.

As a result, Meso got the nod ahead of the experienced Jafta in the opening two matches of the ongoing Tri-Nation Series against hosts Sri Lanka and India.

Asked on Thursday if she views Meso as competition for her wicket-keeper batter spot in the national side, Jafta emphasised that they are not fighting it out for a position.

The 30-year-old highlighted that her job is to play the supportive role to the 17-year-old as she finds her feet in the national set-up.

“I think when we came in the previous camp, the message was pretty clear. It’s a World Cup year, so we wanted to ensure that everyone is up to scratch, and I never see it as a competition,” Jafta told the media.

“I always see it as an opportunity for her to grow, because at the end of the day, we all know she is a future wicketkeeper of this team. And for me, I just come in from being a very good supportive role.

“Domestically, she’s done a fantastic job for the Lions, and it’s an opportunity well-deserved.

“I think for her going forward is to just keep her head right, and she’s got a brilliant future ahead of her.”

Having lost three consecutive matches on tour, Jafta admitted that their poor fielding performances, particularly in the third match earlier this week, need rectifying going into Friday’s fixture against Sri Lanka (6.30am SA time start).

“Fielding needs a lot of work. At the end of the day, for me, it’s all about he attitude that you have when you go in there,” said Jafta.

“I think if the first thing you’re thinking is like I’m going to miss this, you probably are. I think we should just come with that aggressive approach.

“I mean, this series has just been like one way you can be like, what is going on? Because I haven’t seen us put out such performances on the field, because we’re usually really big on just our approach on the field.”

With South Africa’s next fixture virtually a dead rubber, as India and Sri Lanka have secured spots in the series final, the Proteas are looking to finish the tour on a high note.

Jafta emphasised that the fixture is crucial for the side as they have a short turnaround between the ongoing tour and the next trip to the West Indies.

“Tomorrow we’re going to go out there, give it everything that we have. So, I think for us, it is to end off on a high and going to the Caribbean... it’s not that much of a turnaround,” she said.

“It’s literally taking care of tomorrow, getting home, working on the specifics and then once we get on the plane to the Caribbean – because I want us to measure ourselves from the tours leading up to the World Cup.

“I mean, we have two more left, and every series we want to grow as a team. 

“By the time we get to the World Cup, everything is kind of polished, if that makes sense.

“So, I’m not really worried, because I know that we are a team that reflects a lot and we believe in our talent, and the change-room believes that we can actually get the job done.”