IRE-W vs SA-W | 2nd ODI | Match Preview | SPOTLIGHT: Lara Goodall

Often they say, the number three batter in any format of the game holds the key role for the team. In this aspect, the South Africa Women’s cricket team has one such powerhouse of talent in the form of Lara Goodall.

Goodall made her international debut in a 2016 T20I series against West Indies and featured in her first ODI match later in the same year against Ireland. 

However, after average performances in a few series, she was dropped from both formats in 2017. 

It was 2019, and she was called back to the national squad and gradually produced performances to cement her place in the XI. 

The 26-year-old batter garnered 125 runs in five innings against India and was one of the key contributors to Proteas’ 4-1 victory in the away ODI series in 2021. 

In the 2022 edition of the Women’s ODI World Cup, Goodall played an important knock of 49 off 69 balls against India to help South Africa seal the semi-finals spot. 

The talented batter emerged as the second highest run-scorer for the team, with 100 runs in three innings in the recently completed T20I series against Ireland. In this pursuit, she hit her maiden T20I fifty as well. 

In the 1st ODI, Goodall scored 32* runs, propelling South Africa to take the lead of 1-0 in the series. 

It will be interesting to see if Goodall continues her form in the 2nd ODI of the Ireland Women against South Africa Women at Women Castle Avenue, Dublin, on 14th June. 

Squads

South Africa: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus (captain), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Tumi Sekhukhune, Andrie Steyn, Chloe Tryon, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt

Ireland: Gaby Lewis (captain), Alana Dalzell, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Sarah Forbes, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Kate McEvoy, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Celeste Raack, Mary Waldron