The Hundred Women's 2023: Dane van Niekerk ruled out of remainder of tournament due to thumb injury

Oval Invincibles' campaign at The Women's Hundred has been dealt a blow as their captain, Dane van Niekerk, has been sidelined due to a thumb injury. The seasoned cricketer sustained the injury during Wednesday's encounter against Manchester Originals. The blow to her right thumb has necessitated surgical intervention, causing her unavailable for the remainder of the tournament.

The 30-year-old former skipper of South African cricket team scored 44 runs across two matches before the injury forced her to sit out the subsequent fixture, where Oval Invincibles suffered a loss to Northern Superchargers.

"I'm very sad to be ruled out of the tournament. I felt like I was hitting my stride in the game against the Originals, so to get injured in the same match is incredibly frustrating," expressing her disappointment, Dane van Niekerk shared as quoted by BBC.com

The setback has prompted Oval Invincibles to consider their options, with the pivotal position of captaincy now vacant. While the team is yet to reveal Dane's replacement, it has been almost confirmed that Kiwi's star player, Suzie Bates will take over the leadership role.

Bates, who previously captained the team to victory in 2022, brings her experience and leadership insights to the forefront as Oval Invincibles aim to overcome this challenge.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of sports, and cricket is no exception. The absence of a key player like Dane van Niekerk will undoubtedly test the team's resilience and adaptability. Fans and cricket enthusiasts will be keenly observing how the Invincibles navigate this hurdle and whether Suzie Bates can once again guide the team to triumph.

Till now, Oval Invincibles have played four matches in the tournament and won just one match with two losses to their name. One of their matches ended with no result as the heavy rain didn't allow a single ball to be bowled in the match and both teams shared a point for the match.