Tazmin Brits grateful for maiden Proteas contract: 'It has raised my game'

Proteas women's batter Tazmin Brits is delighted to receive her maiden Cricket South Africa (CSA) contract and looks forward to the bumper season ahead.

Brits was part of the Proteas top-order at the Women's World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year and was awarded a national contract for the 2022/23 season.

The 31-year-old was one of two new faces in CSA's 15 contracted Proteas women's players, which included left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba.

"When I received (the news) about my first contract, I almost rolled my bakkie," said Brits.

"Firstly, I am very grateful. I am blessed to have that (contract). It's something that you work for long towards and it actually paid off, so it's a bit of a reward if I can put it that way and I am definitely thankful for it."

Brits did not have the best World Cup debut for the Proteas, scoring only 52 runs in five ODIs with a top score of 23.

The Proteas bowed out of the World Cup after a semi-final loss to England, but Brits admitted it was a massive learning curve.

"It would have been great if we got to the finals but just the overall learnings from the top players in our team and even playing against the likes of Australia, seeing people I have never played with or have never seen in real life," said Brits.

"I might be a Protea, but it was definitely something to be grateful for to be in their aura and to be around them, so I learnt a lot."

Brits has played 32 games for the Proteas, playing 12 ODIs and 20 T20Is since her debut in against Bangladesh in a T20I in 2018.

Heading into her first season as a nationally contracted player, Brits is eager to impress as the Proteas tour Ireland and England and then take part in July's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

"Since getting the contract, my