South African women currently on tour to New Zealand produced yet another clinical performance to beat the White Ferns in their own backyard.
Marizanne Kapp produced a devious bowling spell to bundle hosts New Zealand at just 115 runs. Bagging four wickets in the process, she walked with the player of the match trophy with figures that read 4/29. Proteas batters took just 23.5 overs to chase down the below-par target and seal the three-match ODI series 2-0 in Auckland on Monday.
Opting to bat first, New Zealand lost its openers inside the first five overs for just 12 runs as Kapp got going with the new ball. Maddy Green departed leg before for 2 while Bernadine Bezuidenhout was clean bowled for 6. Suzie Bates, in at no. 3, fought with a 60-ball 38 to rebuild the innings but received little support from the other end as the New Zealand batting lineup tumbled.
Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine stitched a vital 22 run partnership, but before any of the batters could accelerate, Devine was run out for 9 and Katie Perkins was dismissed in the same manner at a score of zero.
Bates and Katey Martin then stood ground, adding crucial 47 runs for the fifth wicket. At 86/4, New Zealand would have hoped to set up a respectable total but were dismantled by a spree of three wickets in the next nine balls. Dane van Niekerk struck by getting rid of Martin and Ayabonga Khaka dismissed Bates (38) and Amelia Kerr (0) in the same over.
Kapp dismissed Leigh Kasperek and Jess Kerr to finish with four wickets and leave New Zealand reeling at 108 for 9. The last-wicket pair added seven more runs to the total as the hosts bundled up for a below-par total of 115.
The South African run chase began with Devine dismissing opener Laura Wolvaardt for a duck. But, Lizelle Lee fresh from a 99 in the previous match, continued her blistering form with a 43-ball 38 laced with five fours and a six. Sune Luus stood steady at the other end, as South Africa marched towards the target. Mignon Du Preez jostled to the middle after Lee was dismissed by debutante Jess Kerr. The pair of Luus and Du Preez put up an unbroken 60-run stand with the latter being the aggressor. Luus remained unbeaten on 37 while du Preez made a 27 ball 35 and secured an easy win for the visitors.
The third ODI will be played in Hamilton on Thursday, 30 January. South Africa will eye a whitewash while New Zealand will try to bounce back and bag the two ICC Women’s Championship points at stake. With just 14 points in their bag from 17 games, they are sitting sixth on the eight-team table while South Africa with twenty points are positioned fourth en route direct qualification to the ICC Women’s World Cup 2021.
2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup – South Africa
Warm-ups
February 16: South Africa v SriLanka
February 18: South Africa v Australia
Tournament
February 23: South Africa v England
February 28: South Africa v Thailand
March 01: South Africa v Pakistan
March 03: South Africa v West Indies
March 5: Semi-final 1, SCG
March 5: Semi-final 2, SCG
March 8: Final, MCG
