Perth Scorchers’ Marizanne Kapp ‘nervous’ about playing against wife Dane van Niekerk in WBBL 2021 Final

South African cricketers Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk face a nervous few hours before they face each other in the Women’s Big Bash League 2021 final between Perth Scorchers and Adelaide Strikers on Saturday.

Perth Scorchers’ Marizanne Kapp is married to Adelaide Strikers’ Dane van Niekerk and will be on opposite sides in the summit clash Perth.

The last time these two played a WBBL final, both Kapp and van Niekerk ended up on the winning side as they were playing for Sydney Sixers at the time who won the 2021 title.

But this year they couple will be going against each other for the third time. Kapp in fact, has already dismissed van Niekerk twice this season and is looking forward to make three out of three against her partner.

“I’m a bit nervous that I got her out twice this season and I’m nervous that the third time might be her day,” Kapp was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. “If we bowl first, it’s literally me up against her immediately.

“Every now and then she’s a bit upset with me, because she’s said previously that people absolutely annihilate her on social media every time I get her out, so she’s not looking forward to that.

“But look, it’s part of the game and we’re used to it. I always tell everyone that it’s never easy playing against Dane because she knows me so well and she knows what I’m thinking and what I’m trying to do.”

Dane van Niekerk meanwhile, said that she will try her best not to get out to her medium-pacer wife Kapp.

“I know what she bowls, I’ve known this for 12 years, but for some reason I don’t know what she bowls,” van Niekerk said on Channel Seven. “I’m going to try and not get out to her, that’s the plan.

“But I know this little person on my shoulder will say, ‘take her on, show her who’s boss’ but it’s probably not going to work.”

Kapp and van Neikerk got married in 2018. They spent five seasons at the Sydney Sixers together before Kapp decided to join the Scorchers ahead of this season.

They played on opposing sides in WBBL 2001, with van Niekerk at the Renegades before she shifted to the Sydney club.

Both players parted ways with the Sixers following WBBL 2006 and the Scorchers moved quickly to snap up Kapp, but with Kiwi great Sophie Devine and Sri Lanka star Chamari Athapaththu on the books, had no room for van Niekerk.