She has been here, in this situation, many times before. She knows pressure – it has been a companion for most of her life. Tazmin Brits stares down the wicket, her focus is pinned on the bowler storming in with the intent of breaking bails, or the batter’s spirit. The crowd’s cheering and the surrounding fielders’ chirps – she hears nothing.
The Proteas’ opener knows her task. First, she has to navigate the new ball and take its shine off. She must also lay a platform for her teammates to follow. As the ball is released, experience takes over. Every lesson learned from the exactly 1 900 international runs she has scored culminates in a determined stroke and the 33-year-old alumna of the North-West University (NWU) is on the scoreboard.
Tazmin first made waves as a javelin thrower who won gold at the 2007 World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic in 2007, but in 2012 a serious car accident devastated her dream of competing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
One dream deferred, but she remained determined to perform on the global stage.
“In April 2018, I was included in the South African women's cricket squad for the Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) series against Bangladesh. Prior to the tour, I had captained the South African Emerging Players Women's squad against Australia. I made my WT20I debut for South Africa against Bangladesh Women on 19 May 2018,” she explains.
From here onwards there was no end to her list of cricketing accolades: “In February 2019, Cricket South Africa selected me as one of the players in the Powerade Women's National Academy intake for 2019, and in September 2019, I was included in the F van der Merwe XI squad for the inaugural edition of the Women's T20 Super League in South Africa. In July 2020, I was named as the CSA Women's Provincial Cricketer of the Year. On 23 July 2020, I was included in South Africa's 24-woman squad to begin training in Pretoria ahead of their tour to England. In January 2021, I was selected for South Africa's Women's One Day International (WODI) squad for their series against Pakistan. I made my WODI debut for South Africa against Pakistan on 26 January 2021. In February 2022, I was included in South Africa's team for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. In May 2022, Cricket South Africa awarded me my first central contract ahead of the 2022–23 season. In July 2022, I was added to South Africa's team for the cricket tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. In June 2023, I signed to play for South East Stars in July in the 2023 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.”
It is a lot, with no end in sight: “My current role as part of the Protea Women’s Squad is that of opening batsman. I have been contracted again by Cricket South Africa for the 2024–25 season. My key responsibilities are to always perform to the best of my ability for my country, as well as to be an ambassador for my country when playing abroad. It is also important to be an example and a role model for up-and-coming young players and young girls.”
She credits the NWU with helping to lay the foundation of her success: “One of the major challenges I faced in my career was to have the confidence and belief in myself that I can do anything I set my mind to. The NWU taught me to work hard, to be disciplined, to be resilient and, most importantly, to have a positive outlook on life, no matter what curve ball life throws at you. My career path was always sports-orientated, but the NWU gave me the confidence to communicate and interact with
people, to learn the value of being a role model and the positive influence I can have on people in my sporting career.”
Her advice for current NWU students and young people who aspire to follow a similar career path is to put in the hard yards: “Nothing comes easily. Always work hard and be disciplined. Love what you do, because without passion there is no purpose.”
Coming from someone who was named Player of the Match at the 2023 WT20I World Cup in the semi-final and helped her team to reach the final of the 2023 World Cup, it is sage advice that all can take to heart.
