CRICKET NEWS - Annerie Dercksen of the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers received the International Cricket Council (ICC) award as Emerging Women's Cricketer of the Year for 2024 last Sunday.
The Beaufort West born-and-bred Dercksen was honoured at the annual ICC Awards for stand-out performances from both the men's and women's game.
With nine categories in total, Dercksen received the award ahead of Shreyanka Patil (India), Saskia Horley (Scotland) and Freya Sargent (Ireland).
An overwhelmed Dercksen feels truly humbled and says it was a great honour to receive this accolade. "It is more than anything a reflection of the hard work and support of my teammates and coaches rather than myself," she says. "I remain grateful and motivated to continue growing."
The 23-year old all-rounder burst onto the international scene in January 2023 and has since represented the Proteas in all formats in two test matches, four one-day international test matches and 22 T20 international matches.
Dercksen, who participated in her second ICC T20 World Cup in 2024, was one of the heroes of the Proteas silver medal winners in the UAE-hosted event.
Dercksen shared her feelings about the win In an interview with SportsBoom.
Humble
The 23-year-old all-rounder from Beaufort West is deeply humbled by the recognition, crediting her team and support system for her success.
"I'm not one for personal awards or recognition, but this is obviously a great honour. It reflects the hard work and support of my teammates and management. Cricket is a team sport, and I'm grateful for everything they've done to help me get here," she says.
"If you told little Annerie playing in the backyard that she'd one day win this award, she wouldn't have believed it. I've always played cricket because I love it, and to now receive something like this is a massive privilege and motivation to keep improving," she smiles.
Breakthrough 2024 season
The past year has been monumental for Dercksen, who made her ODI and test debuts during the Proteas' tour of India. She also featured prominently in South Africa's campaign at the T20 World Cup and played in a historic home test match.
"It's been a really special season," she says. "Getting to debut in both ODIs and tests, and making it to the T20 World Cup final, was incredible.
"Playing a home test match for the first time in years was another highlight. What made it even more special was playing alongside and against my childhood heroes."
Despite her achievements, Dercksen is already focusing on the upcoming 2025 season. "The season is done now, and my focus is on growing and contributing more in the next one."
Eyes on the world cup
As the Women's World Cup approaches, Dercksen and her teammates have their sights set on one goal, winning the trophy for South Africa.
"Our main objective is definitely to win the World Cup this time. We have a few series lined up before then, and every match we play leading up to the tournament will be important.
"Representing South Africa is always a massive honour, and we'll take those games seriously to prepare for the big stage."
Dercksen's determination is evident. "Winning the World Cup and making the country proud is what we're working towards," she says. It's an exciting challenge, and I'm looking forward to what's ahead."
A star in the making
Dercksen's emergence as a key player for the Proteas Women signals a bright future for South African cricket. With her talent, work ethic, and humble mindset, she is poised to make an even bigger impact on the global stage in the years to come.
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