Twenty-eight-year-old Tazmin Brits is a former South African javelin thrower turned cricket player, set to make her mark at the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in February.
Tazmin Brits’ love for sport started at an early age, when she began playing with the boys in primary school and even though she was the only girl, she always tried all the sports. She has been playing for the North West Dragons in Potchefstroom for seven years now, having also played at u/16 and u/19 level. She took a break from cricket for five years in order to achieve her life goal of becoming a World Champion in javelin and managed to tick that box.
Having made her mark as a national athlete, she was selected for the 2012 London Summer Olympics, but was unable to compete due to a car accident that left her in hospital for two months. Once she returned to full fitness, she started playing javelin again but decided to turn her focus on cricket instead.
Speaking about the transition from javelin to cricket, Brits says, “It was not easy at all to be honest. I fell in love with javelin and it became my life. I put a lot of work into it and Olympics were all I ate, slept and thought about; it’s the ultimate goal for any athlete.
“After the car accident it was tough to do javelin again because it’s very hard on one’s body and I still tried, but I started playing cricket again and I loved it.”
“I love any sport, but cricket has its positives, it’s a team sport so it’s a great feeling knowing someone always has your back and celebrations are epic. I mean, it’s 11 players going crazy. I do believe that God has his way of putting you in places he needs to be. I made peace with that and I always try to do my best in everything that I do, God has given me the gift and it’s my way of giving back,” Brits added.
“I am all about ultimate goals because it will mean that all the hard work and dedication has paid off.” – North West Dragons cricketer, Tazmin Brits.
Brits made her South African cricket debut in May 2018 and was named as one of the players in the Powerade Women’s National Academy intake in February this year. In September she was named in the F van der Merwe XI squad for the Women’s T20 Super League in South Africa, featuring prominently as a wicketkeeper. She says that her favourite memory thus far is when she made 73 against Bangladesh because it was her first half-century for her country.
“Thinking about it gives me goosebumps, even a bit of tears, how does one actually explain the thought of running on that field knowing that you’re playing for your country at the highest level, what more can you ask for? That’s the ultimate goal for any cricketer. I am all about ultimate goals because it will mean that all the hard work and dedication has paid off and that there was and is a reason behind everything.”
Regarding her future cricketing ambitions, Brits says she would love the experience of playing in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) because she sees it as an opportunity to improve as a person. She also wants to go to the World Cup, and not only be part of the team, but be the team that lifts the trophy, and has full faith that South Africa can be that team.
The seventh ICC T20 Women’s World Cup is set to take place from 21 February until 8 March 2020, with South Africa set to compete against nine other teams.
Photo 1 Caption: South African cricketer, Tazmin Brits, pictured making her Proteas Women debut in May 2018. Photo: Cricket South Africa on Facebook
With editing by gsport
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