Tournament: Tri-Nations Women’s T20I Series
Opponent: South Africa Women
Venue: Buffalo Park, East London
Result: South Africa won by 44 runs
Scorecard: https://bit.ly/sawvwiw1stt20
EAST LONDON, South Africa- South Africa Women took a 44-run victory over the West Indies Women to earn their first points of the Tri-Nations Women’s T20 International Series at Buffalo Park in East London.
Shamilia Connell had a top all-round performance for the West Indies Women, finishing with bowling figures of 3-0-17-2 then contributed 15 from 11 with the bat.
Sune Luus (30) and Marizanne Kapp (52) posted a 32-run third-wicket partnership, taking advantage of a lapse of intensity from the West Indies as South Africa posted 141/5 from their 20 overs. Laura Woolvardt added 25, as she shared in a 31-run second-wicket partnership with Kapp.
The West Indies bowlers, particularly the slower bowlers were unable to take advantage of a bowler’s wicket on the Buffalo Park surface. Afy Fletcher went for 10 runs in her first over, while Hayley Matthews went for 19 in her first two overs. But the seamers, Connell and Shakera Selman were able to slow the South African scoring.
Britney Cooper, returning to international cricket in September 2021, knocked three boundaries on her way to 15 off 14, while Captain Hayley Matthews top-scored for the innings with 23 off 35. But when both openers were dismissed after a solid start of 32/0, the rest of the batting line-up crumbled, except for an 11-ball 15 runs from Connell at number seven.
The South African bowling were simply too consistent with the line as length, as Masabata Klass finished with career-best figures of 4-0-21-4 and the very economical Nonkululeko Mlaba 4-1-10-1 as South Africa restricted the West Indies to 97/8 in their 20 overs.
After the match, Connell told CWI Media,
“I’ve been working and preparing very hard over the last few months and it’s very pleasing to be able to execute my all-round game for the team. I’ve been working on my death-bowling and today I was able to answer the skipper’s call. We were not consistent especially when we were batting, we’re gonna have to regroup and come back with a more fortified plan for our match against India on Monday.”
The West Indies Women will take on India Women at the same venue on Monday, January 23. The first ball is at 7:00 pm local time (1:00 pm Eastern Caribbean/12:00pm Jamaica time).
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