From the small cricket fields of Pretoria to the grand stage of international cricket, Eliz-Mari Marx has captured the attention of the sporting world with her exceptional talent, determination, and perseverance. Recently awarded the prestigious International Women's Newcomer of the Year at the Cricket South Africa Awards, her journey is an inspiring testament to what hard work, passion, and grit can accomplish.
Born and raised in South Africa, Eliz-Mari's love for cricket blossomed at a young age. Growing up in a sports-loving family, she was exposed to the game early. It was at this tender age, while helping her brother carve his career in cricket, that Eliz-Mari realised cricket was more than just a pastime—it was her calling.
Reflecting on those formative years, she shared, "what inspired me to take up cricket was [my] older brother, we started playing in the back garden when I was about seven or eight-years- old. He was a wicket keeper and I was just a normal average player. He realised that I have a very strong arm and he asked me if I could throw some balls to him just to to get used to the the gloves that he just got and then [from there] he saw some talent that I obviously didn't see and then he went to our school teacher in Primary school and said to them ‘well I think my sister can actually play cricket’."
Her career officially began at the age of 13 when she joined the Titans Cricket team. It was with the Titans that Eliz-Mari’s talent was first recognized. Climbing through the ranks from the under-13s to the under-16s, under-19s, and eventually the SA Schools team, she proved her ability at every level. Her rapid ascent in the sport can be attributed to a mix of skill, discipline, and a hunger to excel. But success didn’t come without its challenges.
"I think some of the challenges that I faced was definitely the lack of girls’ cricket teams in the country. I was fortunate to be in a primary school that had girls’ cricket. I obviously, for my own betterment, played with the boys up until grade 7 just to get some more cricket in, but I think the lack of girls teams and club teams for that matter I think it was a challenge. Eliz-Mari explained.
Throughout her rise, the 21-year-old all rounder found inspiration in several role models. "I don't think there was actually an age that I realised that I could play this sport professionally, but I've been fortunate enough to be surrounded by some Legends and some superstars in the game like Mignon Du Preez and Suné Luus. I remember a conversation that Mignon and I actually had, when I was about 13-years-old and she said we can actually make a career out of out of woman’s cricket and I don't think from that point on I ever looked back to say that I don't want to make a career out of cricket, I really want to and I'm so happy that could do it now." SA Women's Cricket Fixtures
Winning the International Women’s Newcomer of the Year award was a moment of validation for the hard work she had put in over the years. "Winning this award really means a lot to me. I think it's a token of hard work, dedication and really pursuing my dream and really wanting to be a good cricketer, obviously on the international stage going forward. I really think that this award means a lot to me personally, I think it will be one of the awards that really sticks with me and really motivates me to achieve a lot more in the future."
Looking ahead, Eliz-Mari has big ambitions. She is keen to continue developing her game and is excited about the future. " I'm definitely most excited about the the England series at the end of the year, playing at big stadiums like the SuperSport Park - my home ground, that's really exciting, and then obviously maybe the 50 over World Cup next year, I'm going to try to work hard to make it on to that team and then also obviously the IPL, I think those are some tournaments I’d like to play in my career."
When asked what message she would give to young girls and boys aspiring to play cricket professionally, her answer was simple yet profound: "I think if I could leave a little girl or boy with a certain message, it will definitely be hard work [because] achieving this international cricket award doesn't mean it came easy, there's a lot of hard work behind the scenes, a lot of extra stuff that you need to do.”
.jpg)
Marx's story may be just beginning, but her journey so far paints a picture of a young woman destined for greatness. Her final words in the interview were those of resilience and possibilities, inspiring the next generation of South African cricketers to chase their dreams with the same determination and passion. “If you want to pursue a career in cricket I would rather say work hard and be patient with yourself. Working with the right people at the right times. I really think if you want to dream big and want to be successful, it starts with hard work and enjoyment. Have fun with who you play with and don't take everything too seriously, having fun is the most important thing."
The South Africa’s Women’s Cricket team, Proteas Women won in the first of three T20 international matches against Pakistan. They took a 1-0 lead in the series, winning by 10 runs, with Chloe Tryon, making her 100th T20I appearance on the day. The next match for Proteas is on Wednesday, the 18th of September at 16H00 (SA Time), and the final fixture will be played on Friday the 20th at 07H00.
Comments
Post a Comment