From the diary of a cricketer

Marizanne Kapp celebrates her century (Getty Images)   “… Like you guys know, (my) first Test match was an absolute nightmare,” Marizanne Kapp laughed when she addressed the media at the end of Day 1 of the Test against England at the County Ground in Taunton. She had just recorded a career-best 150 – the highest individual score by a South African woman in Test cricket – and was justifiably upbeat. Her innings of 266 minutes and 213 balls had lifted her team from a precarious 89 for 5 to a respectable 284 all out by stumps, emphatically washing away those “terrible” memories of India and saving the Proteas from a path they had hurtled down on her debut 7 years, 7 months and 7 days ago. …7-7-7 is a number used in American slot machines to identify a jackpot. Some call it the ‘angel number’ or ‘God’s number’: one that is expected to bring good luck, positive change and divine guidance; a sign that the universe is on your side. When Kapp walked in to bat with South Africa reeling a...

Gaby Lewis celebrates her half-century (Ireland Women's Cricket/ Twitter) Ireland, Ireland Together standing tall Shoulder to shoulder, We’ll answer Ireland’s call! As “Ireland’s Call” blared through the speakers of the Pembroke Cricket Club in Dublin ahead of Ireland’s first T20I against South Africa, one could see the pride on stand-in skipper Gaby Lewis’ face. She stood at the front of the team line, arm-in-arm with her companions, proudly belting out the lyrics. At 21 years and 68 days she was the youngest player to ever captain Ireland and also the first daughter of a former Ireland skipper to claim the armband . (Her father, Alan Lewis led the Ireland men’s team 35 times). This was the moment she was born for! If there were nerves around her captaincy debut, Lewis never showed them – not at the pre-series press conference and not once during the actual game. She went about her business, smashing the bowlers around the park and directing her troops in the field, with a purpos...