Bongi Msomi backs South Africa to challenge Australia in coming netball series
Image: Netball South Africa
Former SPAR Netball Proteas captain Bongi Msomi is backing the national team to make history by defeating Australia for the first time, when the sides meet in a three-Test series Down Under in October.
Speaking at a coaching clinic for schoolchildren in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, Msomi expressed her excitement about the team's growth and the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with the sport's most dominant force.
'If I think back, in the past you already knew what to expect in terms of physicality, in terms of their structure, the standard,' said Msomi, now a Puma ambassador and assistant coach of the Gauteng Fireballs in the Telkom Netball League.
'But I say this with pride: the group that we have, the talent we have within the group — we have all it takes to take people on and really put in some good performances.'
Coach Bongi Msomi, the former Proteas netball skipper, puts the children from Shaya Moya and Thembalethu high schools through their paces in Kokstad on Monday, as they prepare for the DStv Schools Netball Challenge.
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The Proteas are winless in 46 previous encounters with the world's top-ranked side. Msomi herself was part of the team that came agonisingly close at the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, when South Africa lost 55-53 in a thrilling semi-final.
'That was probably one of the most exciting times,' she said. 'To be able to really push them to that level, considering their professional setup and the fact that we weren't, was really good.'
South Africa's last series against the Diamonds came in 2023, also in Australia, where the Proteas were soundly beaten 67-52 and 77-50 in the first standalone Test series between the sides in 18 years.
Before their return to Australia, the Proteas will face another stiff challenge in September, when they play a three-Test series against second-ranked New Zealand in what Msomi sees as the ideal barometer for a rebuilding squad.
'I think it will be two big Test series that can set the tone in terms of where we are. Coming from that we can really build based on facts,' said Msomi.
'You also want to play the best in the world to be the best. If you are a restructuring group you kind of have to play the top guns and I think we have a great chance.'
The tours form part of the Proteas' preparations for next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney.
'It's probably the best thing that can happen because when you play one [top team], you set the standard and from that you can see if you can now take this standard to the next level,' Msomi added.
'You can never lose from getting such an opportunity — there's lots to gain. And in netball, you don't only win on the scoreboard. You win with your prep, with different combinations.
"Maybe you won your first cap coming on court. So I'm really excited for them to start ticking off those wins.'
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The SPAR Proteas will travel to Australia in October to play a three-Test series against the current world champions and world's number one ranked Diamonds. Image: Netball South Africa Former SPAR Netball Proteas captain Bongi Msomi is backing the national team to make history by defeating Australia for the first time, when the sides meet in a three-Test series Down Under in October. Speaking at a coaching clinic for schoolchildren in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, Msomi expressed her excitement about the team's growth and the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with the sport's most dominant force. 'If I think back, in the past you already knew what to expect in terms of physicality, in terms of their structure, the standard,' said Msomi, now a Puma ambassador and assistant coach of the Gauteng Fireballs in the Telkom Netball League. 'But I say this with pride: the group that we have, the talent we have within the group — we have all it takes to take people on and really put in some good performances.' Coach Bongi Msomi, the former Proteas netball skipper, puts the children from Shaya Moya and Thembalethu high schools through their paces in Kokstad on Monday, as they prepare for the DStv Schools Netball Challenge. Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The Proteas are winless in 46 previous encounters with the world's top-ranked side. Msomi herself was part of the team that came agonisingly close at the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, when South Africa lost 55-53 in a thrilling semi-final. 'That was probably one of the most exciting times,' she said. 'To be able to really push them to that level, considering their professional setup and the fact that we weren't, was really good.' South Africa's last series against the Diamonds came in 2023, also in Australia, where the Proteas were soundly beaten 67-52 and 77-50 in the first standalone Test series between the sides in 18 years. Before their return to Australia, the Proteas will face another stiff challenge in September, when they play a three-Test series against second-ranked New Zealand in what Msomi sees as the ideal barometer for a rebuilding squad. 'I think it will be two big Test series that can set the tone in terms of where we are. Coming from that we can really build based on facts,' said Msomi. 'You also want to play the best in the world to be the best. If you are a restructuring group you kind of have to play the top guns and I think we have a great chance.' The tours form part of the Proteas' preparations for next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney. 'It's probably the best thing that can happen because when you play one [top team], you set the standard and from that you can see if you can now take this standard to the next level,' Msomi added. 'You can never lose from getting such an opportunity — there's lots to gain. And in netball, you don't only win on the scoreboard. You win with your prep, with different combinations. "Maybe you won your first cap coming on court. So I'm really excited for them to start ticking off those wins.'
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I understand the sentiment, but when Lara set his record of 400 not out in Antigua against England in 2004, he was batting on a flat, lifeless pitch which gave little to no assistance to the bowlers. In fact, Lara faced 31 overs of bowling from Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick, who were both batters. The mediocre offspinner Gareth Batty bowled 52 overs in the innings, taking two for 185. There are always mitigating circumstances. No innings of this magnitude are achieved on a pitch that significantly favours bowlers, or without grinding the opposition down so crushingly that they inevitably go through the motions for a period of time, allowing the batter to thrive. Outdoing Kallis It's not an insult to suggest that Proteas all-rounder Mulder is not in the same class as Lara as a Test batter. Few in the history of the game are, or were, in Lara's class. The great West Indian left-hander averaged 52.88 in his 131 Tests, scoring 11,953 runs with 34 centuries and a high score of 400 not out. So far, Mulder has only played 21 Tests, scoring 1,153 runs and now averages 38.43 with three centuries and a high score of 367 not out. A fairer comparison as batters is using the same sample size. Lara's Test average after his first 21 Tests stood at 58.08, scoring 1,975 runs with four centuries in that period, including a high score of 375 amassed against England in Antigua. The numbers don't lie, and it's obvious Lara was a better batter than Mulder is, or is likely to become. Mulder might go in to improve his numbers and push his average into the forties. That would be a more than acceptable return for a player who is essentially an allrounder. Lara never bowled a ball in Test cricket. Mulder has also taken 38 Test wickets at 24.74, with a strike rate of one wicket every 49.8 balls. 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Comparisons after 21 Tests Batting Player Runs Average Centuries High Score Brian Lara 1,975 58.08 4 375 Wiaan Mulder 1,153 38.43 3 367* Jacques Kallis 985 30.78 2 148 Bowling Player Runs Average Centuries High Score Brian Lara 0 – – – Wiaan Mulder 38 24.74 49.8 4/32 Jacques Kallis 27 33.03 69.3 4/24 It does raise the question whether Mulder should have batted on to try and break Lara's record. Maybe he felt slightly 'guilty' having been bowled off a no-ball when he was on 247. But that's cricket, you ride your luck. Mulder, as captain, could decide when to declare. And considering it was only lunch on day two, with South Africa already on a mammoth score, another 30 minutes of batting would not have changed the outcome. There was still ample time for the Proteas to bowl Zimbabwe out twice. As it was, they ended the match with more than two days to spare. We will never know. Acts of sportsmanship As an act of sportsmanship, leaving Lara's record intact, it does command some respect and comparison to other great gestures: Jack Nicklaus at the Ryder Cup (1969): In a fiercely contested Ryder Cup, with the match tied on the 18th hole, Jack Nicklaus had a short putt for birdie. His opponent, Tony Jacklin, also had a short putt to tie. After sinking his own putt, Nicklaus incredibly conceded Jacklin's putt, ensuring the Ryder Cup ended in a tie. He famously said, 'I don't think you would have missed that Tony, but I didn't want to give you the chance.' Luz Long and Jesse Owens (1936 Berlin Olympics): During the long jump qualification, German long jumper Luz Long, seeing that his rival, American Jesse Owens, was struggling with his run-up, advised Owens to adjust his take-off mark. Owens took the advice, qualified, and went on to win the gold medal, with Long taking silver. This act of sportsmanship between an American and a German athlete at the Nazi-hosted Olympics became an enduring symbol of humanity and sportsmanship triumphing over political tensions. DM Top 10 Test scores of all time 1. Brian Lara (West Indies): 400* vs England (2004) 2. Matthew Hayden (Australia): 380 vs Zimbabwe (2003) 3. Brian Lara (West Indies): 375 vs England (1994) 4. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka): 374 vs South Africa (2006) 5. Wiaan Mulder (South Africa): 367* vs Zimbabwe (2025) 6. Garry Sobers (West Indies): 365* vs Pakistan (1958) 7. Len Hutton (England): 364 vs Australia (1938) 8. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka): 340 vs India (1997) 9. Hanif Mohammad (Pakistan): 337 vs West Indies (1958)
