Claire terblanche

On T20I: Kayla Reyneke loves a laugh, but it’s her knack for closing out games that has been the highlight of her short international career so far. Twice in the space of two months, Kayla has turned what looked like lost causes into wins for South Africa and made it all look routine.

On T20I debut against Pakistan in Potchefstroom, she walked in and hit 29 not out, including hitting a match-winning six. Later, in Christchurch, on ODI debut against New Zealand, she went one better: hitting two sixes in the final over to snatch a victory South Africa had no business claiming in the first place.

That double finishing act made her the first woman to win Player of the Match on both T20I and ODI debuts. More than the stats and accolades, it was Kayla’s demeanour which was more striking – calm and uncluttered, as if she had rehearsed the execution of those moments a thousand times.