In a spellbinding display of spin bowling, Alana King etched her name into the record books, producing a historic performance to lead Australia’s domination over South Africa in their Women’s ODI World Cup clash on October 25.
Opting to bowl first, Australia’s attack was relentless, but it was King who stole the show. The leg-spinner returned with career-best ODI figures of 7 for 18, the best-ever bowling figures in Women’s World Cup history, surpassing New Zealand’s Jackie Lord’s 6 for 10 from 1982.
South Africa’s batting lineup, which began with promise, was soon dismantled by King’s magical spell. From the moment she struck twice in the 12th over, there was no looking back. The Proteas, who at one stage seemed steady, crumbled to a modest total of 97 all out.
King’s final figures: 7 overs, 2 maidens, 18 runs, 7 wickets – perfectly summed up her control, precision, and guile. The other wickets were shared by Megan Schutt (1/21), Kim Garth (1/21), and Ashleigh Gardner (1/19). Among South Africa’s batters, only Laura Wolvaardt (31), Sinalo Jafta (29), and Nadine de Klerk (14) managed to reach double digits as wickets fell in clusters.
A visibly elated King reflected on her performance after the innings, “It is a great feeling, and I love trying to get Australia into a good position. To keep them (South Africa) to less than 100, we are pumped. I extracted some spin in the first game here. We know it is going to hold a little, but you still have to assess conditions as soon as you can. I am really pleased to get something out of it.”
On her current form, the leg-spinner added, “I haven’t changed too much. I have some great coaches and mentors and teammates to help evolve my game. I just want to keep doing my role for Australia. I am really happy to be a bowler in this team, and I can put my feet up now and let the batters do the work.”
It was truly a masterclass in controlled, attacking bowling, a performance that evoked memories of the late Shane Warne’s artistry. King’s accuracy, flight, and variations were too good for South Africa, who simply had no answers once she found her rhythm.
As Australians walked off the field, the scoreboard told the story – South Africa all out for 97 and Alana King stood at the heart of it.
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