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Proteas Women's Cricket captain Laura Wolvaardt, says they are excited for the inaugural test match against Australia, the final encounter of the multi-format Down Under tour.
The match takes place from Thursday to Sunday at the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) ground in Perth.
"We are also excited to be having the tournament at the WACA, which is just an iconic and special ground,' says Wolvaardt.
The upcoming test matches are important for the Proteas, as they offer the team a chance to measure themselves against the Australian team, who are a key force in women's cricket.
"It's very special. Australia is leading the way in women's cricket, and to be able to measure ourselves against them and to play against them in probably the purest form of the game is an awesome opportunity. We are excited," the 24-year-old added.
In addition to her excitement for the upcoming test match, Wolfvaardt revealed her love for the longer format.
"I would enjoy that. I love Test cricket. I love watching it. I love all the battles within the battles. So for me, that would be awesome and I think it would suit my game as well. The rest of our group is also very excited to hopefully play more Test cricket in the future."
Addressing the conditions at the WACA, Wolvaardt acknowledged the possibility of a spinning and bouncy wicket.
"I have heard that it's been turning a bit more lately, and we are expecting it to be pretty bouncy as well. I think it's going to be the bounciest ground in the world from what I've heard. So I did a lot of preparation in the nets, and hopefully, we're ready for tomorrow."
Considering the challenging weather conditions in Perth, with temperatures expected to reach between 40 - 42 degrees before dropping to a maximum of 26 and increasing again across the four days, Wolvaardt emphasised the importance of a good recovery.
"Well, 26 is still pretty hot for us. I think 41 is going to be crazy. I think the recovery will be key for us just after a day's play. It's not something we're used to coming back to back to back. Usually, we get a bit of a rest day after an ODI. The physical and mental preparation will be pretty difficult and something we're not used to, but we'll have to deal with it," Wolvaardt added.
The host nation currently leads the multi-format tour by eight points to four, with the upcoming Test worth four points.
If South Africa secures the win, Wolvaardt will become only the second Proteas Women captain to win a Test match for her country after Cri-Zelda Brits led her team to victory against the Netherlands in Rotterdam.
The touring squad is: Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlub, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Chloé Tryon, Delmi Tucker.
