Cape Town - Proteas all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has headed off to the Maldives with her wife and captain Dane van Niekerk for a much-deserved break after her exertions at the recent Women's World Cup in New Zealand.
Kapp was one the Proteas' star performers in the Land of the Long White Cloud where she claimed 12 wickets and 203 runs respectively to earn selection for the ICC's Most Valuable Team.
Her performances included two Player of the Match awards in the crunch victories over England and hosts New Zealand that earned the Proteas qualification for the semi-finals. Unfortunately she could not repeat her maiden ODI five-wicket haul which she achieved against England as the Proteas were eliminated by the defending champions.
Van Niekerk, meanwhile, was cruelly ruled out of the tournament on the eve of departure when she suffered a freak ankle injury by the side of their swimming pool at home.
She instead needed to be content with a supporting role from home where she worked as a television analyst on SuperSport's "Wake up and smell the cricket" show.
Van Niekerk's recovery process is on track though as she is no longer in the "moon boot".
Both Kapp, who has struggled with chronic health issues in the past, and Van Niekerk's fitness is crucial to the Proteas' fortunes this year.
South Africa have a high-profile tour to England scheduled for June and July. The itinerary includes a Test match that will begin with a Test at Taunton on 27 June - it will be the Proteas' first Test match in eight years.
England and South Africa will then play three ODI's and three T20 internationals, the last of which is scheduled for 18 July, before the Commenwealth Wealth Games in Birmingham.
The couple then remain in England where they will return to The Oval Invincibles to help the Surrey-based team defend their "The Hundred" title won last year.
Kapp was named Player of the Final against the Southern Brave at Lord's for her match-winning haul of 4/9 and 26, while Van Niekerk walked away with the Women's Hundred MVP for leading the Invincibles to the inaugural championship.
IOL Sport