Mignon du Preez

Last updated

"... as a supportive baby sister, I always went with the two men in my life to watch my brother play. Even as a supporter I made sure that I was fully kitted out in the mini cricket shirts and shorts. One day, one of the players couldn’t manage to get to the game on time and they needed a player to fill the spot. Since I was already dressed accordingly, they asked me to help out." [9]

She ended up being named as the day's 'best batter', an accolade that kindled her love for the game. [10] [9]

Du Preez attended Doringkloof Primary School and Zwartkop High School  [ af ]. [9] When she was 12 years old, she achieved the remarkable feat of scoring 258, at a strike rate of over 200, in a provincial Under-13 match between Gauteng and North Gauteng. During that innings, she hit 16 sixes and 25 fours. [1]

After playing primary school cricket mainly in boys' teams, du Preez was fortunate that her high school was one of the very few in the region with a girl's cricket team. From a very young age, she also had access around her home town area to really good sports facilities, including some of the facilities at Centurion Park. Her parents provided her with strong support, and, in particular, were always willing to drive her to training. [9]

Her father and brother continued to play cricket, especially indoor cricket at a competitive (national and international) level. [9]

As a young cricketer, du Preez found that her biggest challenge was to change people's perceptions that cricket is only a 'boy's sport'. She has explained that at that time, women's cricket was still exclusively amateur in nature, with limited funding and not many female role models. Her own sports hero was Indian male cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. In South Africa, she believes, the challenges to women cricketers eased as the game became more professional. [9]

After leaving school, du Preez obtained an honours degree in marketing from the University of Pretoria. [9] [11]

Career

Du Preez made her debut for South Africa in 2007. [12]

In 2014, du Preez captained South Africa in her debut and only Test match, against India at the Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadeyar Ground in Mysore. [12] [13] India batted first, and declared at 400 for 6. Du Preez then scored 102 in her maiden Test innings, but her team's total of 234 was not enough to prevent India from enforcing the follow on. South Africa made only 132 in its second innings, and lost the match by an innings and 34 runs. [13]

On 21 February 2016, she became the first South African women to score 1,000 career runs in T20I during a match against England. [14] On 21 June 2016, she decided to step down as South Africa women's captain, after having led the team for almost 5 years (since 2011) in one Test, 46 ODIs and 50 T20Is. [15] [16]

On 25 June 2017, in South Africa's match against Pakistan in the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup, she became the first woman for South Africa to play in 100 ODI matches. [17]

In March 2018, she was one of fourteen players to be awarded a national contract by Cricket South Africa ahead of the 2018–19 season. [18] In October 2018, she was named in South Africa's squad for the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies. [19] [20]

In November 2018, she was contracted by Melbourne Stars for the 2018–19 Women's Big Bash League season. [21] [22] In September 2019, she was named in the Devnarain XI squad for the inaugural edition of the Women's T20 Super League in South Africa. [23] [24] In January 2020, she was named in South Africa's squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. [25] In their opening match of the tournament, against England, du Preez played in her 100th WT20I match. [26]

On 23 July 2020, du Preez was named in South Africa's 24-woman squad to begin training in Pretoria, ahead of their tour to England. [27] In 2021, she was drafted by Manchester Originals for the inaugural season of The Hundred. [28]

In February 2022, she was named in South Africa's team for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. [29] In April 2022, she was bought by the Trent Rockets for the 2022 season of The Hundred in England. [30]

On 7 April 2022, she announced her retirement from longer formats of cricket. [31]

In May 2022, she played five matches for the Warriors team in the 2022 FairBreak Invitational T20 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. [1] [32] During the Invitational, she scored a total of 120 runs with a top score of 75*, and also took arguably the catch of the tournament to dismiss her South African teammate, Laura Wolvaardt. [32]

In July 2022, she was named in South Africa's team for the cricket tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. [33]

She announced her retirement from all forms of international cricket on 9 December 2022. [8]

Personal life

Du Preez's nickname is "Minx". [10] [34] She and her husband, Tony van der Merwe, an urban planner, were married on 5 December 2015. [35] [36] In June 2024 the couple announced Mignon was pregnant with twins. [37] Du Preez was raised in a Christian household, and dedicated her life to Jesus while attending a youth seminar at the age of 10. She has said that the sports in which she has been involved have "... never placed any limitation on my Christianity ..." [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dane van Niekerk</span> South African cricketer (born 1993)

Dané van Niekerk is a South African cricketer born in Pretoria and educated at Hoërskool Centurion. A right-handed batter and leg break bowler, she played for South Africa in Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODI) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) between 2009 and 2021, and was captain of the side between 2016 and 2021. She was the first bowler for South Africa to take 100 wickets in WODIs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trisha Chetty</span> South African cricketer

Trisha Chetty is a South African former cricketer. She played two Tests, and made one hundred and twenty limited-overs appearances for South Africa between 2007 and 2022. She played as a wicket-keeper and right-handed batter. On 17 March 2023, she announced her retirement from all formats of cricket.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sana Mir</span> Pakistani cricketer

Sana Mir is a Pakistani cricket commentator and former cricketer who served as a captain of the Pakistan national women's cricket team in ODIs and T20Is. She played in 226 international matches, including 137 of those as captain of the side. She was the first bowler for Pakistan to take 100 wickets in WODIs. She played domestic cricket for Karachi and Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited.

George Fredrik Linde is a South African cricketer. He made his international debut for the South Africa cricket team in October 2019.

Khayelihle Piyele Zondo is a South African cricketer. He made his international debut for the South Africa cricket team in February 2018. In April 2022, he made his Test match debut for South Africa as a COVID-19 substitute.

South African women's cricket team toured Ireland in August 2016. The tour consisted of four Women's One Day International (ODI) matches and two Women's Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. South Africa won the ODI series 3–1 and drawn the T20I series 1–1. During the tour, Ireland recorded their first wins over South Africa in international cricket by winning the 2nd T20I and the 4th ODI.

Andrie Steyn is a South African cricketer who has played 33 One Day Internationals and five Twenty20 International for South Africa since 2014. In March 2018, she was one of fourteen players to be awarded a national contract by Cricket South Africa ahead of the 2018–19 season. In September 2019, she was named in the Devnarain XI squad for the inaugural edition of the Women's T20 Super League in South Africa. On 23 July 2020, Steyn was named in South Africa's 24-woman squad to begin training in Pretoria, ahead of their tour to England.

Janneman Nieuwoudt Malan is a South African cricketer. He made his international debut for the South Africa cricket team in February 2019.

Anneke Elizabeth Bosch is a South African cricketer. She made her Women's One Day International cricket (WODI) debut against Australia on 18 November 2016.

Lara Goodall is a South African cricketer who represents South Africa in Women's One Day Internationals and Women's Twenty20 Internationals. In February 2019, Cricket South Africa named her as one of the players in the Powerade Women's National Academy intake for 2019. In September 2019, she was named in the M van der Merwe XI squad for the inaugural edition of the Women's T20 Super League in South Africa. On 23 July 2020, Goodall was named in South Africa's 24-woman squad to begin training in Pretoria, ahead of their tour to England.

Sinalo Jafta is a South African professional cricketer who plays as a wicket-keeper and right-handed batter. She made her Women's One Day International cricket (WODI) debut against New Zealand on 22 October 2016. In April 2019, she was named in South Africa's Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) squad for their series against Pakistan. She made her WT20I debut for South Africa against Pakistan on 15 May 2019.

Nadine de Klerk is a South African cricketer. She made her Women's One Day International cricket (WODI) debut against India in the 2017 South Africa Quadrangular Series on 9 May 2017. She made her Women's Twenty20 International cricket (WT20I) debut for South Africa against India on 13 February 2018.

Tazmin Brits is a South African athlete and cricketer. She won gold in the javelin throw at the 2007 World Youth Championships in Athletics. She was in line to be selected for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, before being involved in a road accident, which left her hospitalised for two months. She made her international debut for the South Africa women's cricket team in May 2018.

The Pakistan cricket team toured South Africa between December 2018 and February 2019 to play three Tests, five One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. The ODI fixtures were part of both teams' preparation for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

The Zimbabwe cricket team toured South Africa in September and October 2018 to play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. The ODI fixtures were part of South Africa's preparations for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Tumi Sphindile Sekhukhune is a South African cricketer who plays as a right-arm fast-medium bowler. She made her international debut for South Africa in September 2018.

The Sri Lanka women's cricket team played the South Africa women's cricket team in February 2019. The tour consisted of three Women's One Day Internationals (WODIs), which formed part of the 2017–20 ICC Women's Championship, and three Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) matches. South Africa Women won the WT20I series 3–0. Their captain Dane van Niekerk was ruled out of the last two WODI matches due to an injury, with Suné Luus leading the team in her place. South Africa Women also won the WODI series 3–0.

The Australia cricket team toured South Africa in February and March 2020 to play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. Cricket South Africa confirmed the fixtures for the tour in May 2019. On 17 February 2020, the day after the conclusion of the home series against England, Faf du Plessis announced that he had stepped down as the captain of South Africa's Test and T20I sides. Later the same day, South Africa announced their squad for the T20I series against Australia, with Quinton de Kock as captain and du Plessis included in the team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nonkululeko Mlaba</span> South African cricketer

Nonkululeko Mlaba is a South African cricketer who plays as a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. She made her international debut for the South Africa women's cricket team in September 2019.

The South Africa women's cricket team played against the India women's cricket team in March 2021. Five Women's One Day International (WODI) and three Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) matches were played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Despite the short notice of the tour, Cricket South Africa confirmed that tests for COVID-19 had been done and the team was ready to travel. Prior to the tour, India's last international match was the final of the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup on 8 March 2020. The South African team arrived in Lucknow on 26 February 2021, before undergoing six days of quarantine.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Mignon du Preez". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  2. "Player Profile:Mignon du Preez". Cricinfo . Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  3. "Most matches as captain in ODI". Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  4. "Most matches as captain in T20". Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  5. "SA T20 Most runs in a career". Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  6. "Records / South Africa Women / Women's One-Day Internationals / Most runs". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  7. "Mignon du Preez announces retirement from ODIs and Tests". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Mignon du Preez retires from all international cricket". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Raheel, Natasha (21 May 2022). "For the game and for glory". The Express Tribune . Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mignon Du Preez talking cricket and her faith". christ centered cricketers. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  11. "Mignon du Preez Player Profile | ICC Women's World Cup Player Profiles - Yahoo! Cricket". Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011. Mignon du Preez Retrieved 25 June 2011
  12. 1 2 Women's CricZone Staff (7 April 2022). "Mignon du Preez announces retirement from ODIs, Tests". Women's CricZone. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  13. 1 2 Sudarshanan, S. (29 March 2020). "Rewind: Memorable ton, forgettable Test for Mignon du Preez". Women's CricZone. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  14. "England women clinch T20 series". Cricket South Africa . Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  15. "Mignon du Preez steps down as Proteas women's captain / Women's contracts for 2016/2017 season announced". CSA . 21 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  16. "Statistics / Statsguru / M du Preez". Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  17. "Ismail, Luus lift South Africa to thrilling win". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 25 June 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  18. "Ntozakhe added to CSA womens' [sic] contracts". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  19. "Cricket South Africa name Women's World T20 squad". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 9 October 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  20. "Shabnim Ismail, Trisha Chetty named in South Africa squad for Women's WT20". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  21. "WBBL04: All you need to know guide". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  22. "The full squads for the WBBL". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  23. "Cricket South Africa launches four-team women's T20 league". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  24. "CSA launches inaugural Women's T20 Super League". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  25. "South Africa news Dane van Niekerk to lead experienced South Africa squad in T20 World Cup". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  26. "Mignon du Preez set to play her 100th T20I". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  27. "CSA to resume training camps for women's team". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  28. "The Hundred 2021 - full squad lists". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  29. "Lizelle Lee returns as South Africa announce experience-laden squad for Women's World Cup". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  30. "The Hundred 2022: latest squads as Draft picks revealed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  31. "Mignon du Preez announces retirement from longer formats". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  32. 1 2 "CSA congratulates Luus and Khaka after FairBreak Invitational success". Cricket South Africa . 16 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  33. "No Dane van Niekerk for Commonwealth Games too, Luus to continue as South Africa captain". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  34. Du Preez, Jacques (29 January 2012). "Mignon, Dane in Rare Limited Overs Double". gsport4girls. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  35. Du Preez, Mignon [@MdpMinx22] (6 December 2016). "Hi Guys! Feel free to watch our awesome Wedding Video" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 April 2022 via Twitter.
  36. Vice, Telford (2 March 2020). "De Kock, Niekerk, and the South African asymmetry". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  37. "Former Proteas cricketer Mignon du Preez and her spouse are expecting twins". Female Cricket. Retrieved 5 October 2024.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Mignon du Preez at Wikimedia Commons

Mignon du Preez
2020 ICC W T20 WC E v SA 02-23 du Preez (01).jpg
Du Preez batting for South Africa during the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup
Personal information
Full name
Mignon du Preez
Born (1989-06-13) 13 June 1989 (age 35)
Pretoria, South Africa
NicknameMinx
BattingRight-handed
Role Batter, occasional wicket-keeper
International information
National side
Only Test(cap  50)16 November 2014 v  India
ODI debut(cap  49)22 January 2007 v  Pakistan
Last ODI31 March 2022 v  England
ODI shirt no.22
T20I debut(cap  4)10 August 2007 v  New Zealand
Last T20I4 August 2022 v  Sri Lanka
Domestic team information
YearsTeam