Van Niekerk shows her class is permanent

In elite sport, experience is everything.

- Wesley Botton

When Dané van Niekerk announced she was aiming to return to the Proteas women’s team in August, she admitted she had a lot of work to do to find a spot in the national squad.

Though she joined a pre-tournament training camp ahead of the Women’s Cricket World Cup played in India in October and November, she was not included in the squad for the showpiece.

And she admitted she was a little overwhelmed by the increased intensity in the SA team since she last played for the Proteas more than four years ago.

However, having committed herself to the goal of returning to the national setup, Van Niekerk put her head down and did the work.