Laura Wolvaardt: Record-setting South African set for second Women's World Cup bid

Laura Wolvaardt, a teenage prodigy, has always been ahead of the pack and now the batter is looking to create more history with South Africa Women.

At the age of 22 she is the second-youngest member of a Proteas squad that is aiming to become the first senior national team from the country to win a cricket World Cup.

Despite her age Wolvaardt is also one of the more experienced members of the side. The opener is now in her seventh year of international cricket after making her debut as a 16-year-old against England in February 2016 and has been setting records ever since.

«It is a little bit weird but I think I'm quite lucky to be in a position to be this young and to have that much game-time under my belt already,» Wolvaardt told BBC Sport Africa from the team's Women's World Cup base in Christchurch, New Zealand.

«A lot of 22-year-olds are just starting out on their international careers. I think I'm in a very fortunate position that I was able to start playing for South Africa at the age of 16 and to gain as much experience and knowledge as I have done in the past couple of years.

»Hopefully I can use that to my advantage and to put up some good scores at this World Cup."

Despite her tender age, Wolvaardt will be a key player when South Africa begin their group-stage campaign against Bangladesh in Dunedin on Saturday (22:00 GMT on Friday).

Wolvaardt was only 13 when she was named her country's Under-19 Women's Cricketer of the Year in 2013, and since then she has kept the statisticians busy with her regular record-breaking feats.

In August 2016, in just her seventh one-day international, she became the youngest centurion for South Africa — male or female — when she made a polished 105 against Ireland.

Aged 17 at the time,