South Africa star Marizanne Kapp leaves England tour for family reasons

Kapp has been a bright spark in an otherwise disappointing tour for the Proteas, who are yet to win a game and were beaten in all three ODIs after drawing the Test, in which she made a fine hundred

South Africa allrounder Marizanne Kapp has returned home from the ongoing series against England for family reasons.

Kapp has been a bright spark in an otherwise disappointing tour for the Proteas, who are yet to win a game and were beaten in all three ODIs after drawing the Test, in which she made a fine hundred.

A statement from Cricket South Africa explained that Kapp had "requested to travel back home to Gqeberha to be close to her family during this trying time".

Kapp's wife, Dane van Niekerk, is South Africa's captain but has been missing from international action since suffering an ankle injury at the start of the year. She was ruled out of the World Cup, this series and the Commonwealth Games, which follow at the end of July.

Van Niekerk released a statement on Instagram, explaining that Kapp's brother-in-law was in hospital "with burn wounds to his hands and face".

She added: "It has been incredibly traumatic for Marizanne's youngest sister (his wife) and his/our whole family. People that question Marizanne's commitment to the team should understand that family comes first, always. She played (a Test and ODIs) through her npehw being ill and her niece being very ill as well."

Opening batter Tazmin Brits has been called up as a replacement for the three T20Is against England, though it has not yet been confirmed whether Kapp will return for the Commonwealth Games, which feature women's cricket for the first time, in Birmingham.

^{Kapp has passed fifty in four of her six innings in the series (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)}

Tumi Sekhukhune, who impressed in partnership with Kapp to help save a draw in the Test at Taunton, has also been ruled out of the T20Is with a groin injury. She was left out of the final ODI at Leicester due to a recurrent groin problem.

Kapp's loss is a major blow to Sune Luus' side, which is already missing the experience of van Niekerk and Lizelle Lee, who retired from international cricket in mysterious circumstances following the Test.

After the ODI defeat at Bristol, Kapp admitted to being "heartbroken" by Lee's retirement and struggling mentally with van Niekerk's absence. South Africa lost the first T20I on Thursday evening, ending the multiformat series as a contest.

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