In this episode, I have the immense pleasure of welcoming Laura Wolvaardt, the captain of the South African women’s national cricket team, to the show. She’s not only the Proteas top-order batter but also showcases her talent in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for the Gujarat Giants, the Women’s Big Bash League with the Adelaide Strikers, and The Hundred for the Manchester Originals.
In 2017, she was named Women’s Newcomer of the Year at the Cricket South Africa (CSA) awards and still holds the record for being the youngest South African to score an international cricket century. With the India tour kicking off this June, Laura shares her thoughts and feelings ahead of the much-anticipated games. We dive into the atmosphere within the team as they gear up to face the Women in Blue at some of India’s most iconic cricket venues. Laura opens up about her personal journey with T20 cricket, detailing how she overcame criticism through self-belief and hard work.
We also discuss her back-to-back centuries in the ODIs against Sri Lanka, exploring how she handles the pressure and challenges of captaining a diverse team. As an introvert with fans around the world, Laura gives us a glimpse into how she manages her public persona, deals with the fear of failure, and what her game day superstitions are. Plus, find out who is the bowler she least likes to face in the women’s game, and why she wears number 14.
Join us for an in-depth conversation with one of South Africa’s most beloved athletes, Laura Wolvaardt, and get to know the person behind the cricket legend.
Wolvie is such an inspiration for us as high school kids, I enjoyed listening to her story and felt excited to continue with my own journey in cricket. Thank you Lauren and Laura. Jen
Hi Jen, you are so welcome! Thanks for listening in!
Laura went to the same school as me, but I’m a bit younger than her. I don’t play sport but I read somewhere that she wanted to be a doctor as well, which is what I want to do. Listening to her story and seeing her achievements has inspired me to keep studying and keep going, I feel proud that she was in my school too. Really enjoyed listening to this. Kim T.
So cool – a fellow Parklands alum 🙂 I believe you can do anything you put your mind to do, so all the best with your dreams and keep working hard to achieve those results and go on to become a doctor. You’ve got this. Blessings in abundance.