The return of the experienced veteran all-rounder and a genuine match-winner in Marizanne Kapp had an immediate impact on South Africa, boosting the morale of the Proteas unit, as they levelled the three-match ODI series (1-1) with a comprehensive 40-run win in the 2nd game of the ODI series against West Indies. Sune Luus (76 off 65 balls) was awarded the Player of the Match in the previous game.
Jahzara Claxton replaced Realeanna Grimmond for the home side, West Indies. The visitors made a couple of changes, with Masabata Klaas coming in for Nadine de Klerk and Tumi Sekhukhune replacing Ayanda Hlubi in the starting XI for South Africa. The start of the game was delayed due to rain.
South African openers Tazmin Brits – Laura Wolvaardt set a solid foundation
The South African openers Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt took the steam out of the West Indian bowling attack with a humongous 184-run opening stand after skipper Hayley Matthews won the toss and inserted them to bat first.
Tazmin Brits (101 off 91 balls) notched up her 4th ODI century off just 89 balls, before she was eventually dismissed by the veteran leg-spinner, Afy Fletcher, in the 27th over of the innings to provide the much-needed first breakthrough for the West Indies.
Skipper Laura Wolvaardt (75 off 76 balls) soon followed her back to the pavilion in the 31st over to provide a vital 2nd breakthrough for the home side. She completed a brisk half-century before getting cleaned up by Afy Fletcher.
The home side bounced back with quick strikes to reduce the visitors from 200/2 to 264/6 in the 44th over of the innings. Chloe Tryon (10* off 6 balls) joined Marizanne Kapp (34* off 42 balls) at the crease. Tryon smacked a monstrous maximum, just before the rains arrived in the 46th over to cut short the South African batting innings at 278/6 in 45.5 overs.
Afy Fletcher (10-1-53-3) was the stand-out performer with the ball, while skipper Hayley Matthews (10-0-46-1), Jahzara Claxton (7-0-48-1), Karishma Ramharack (10-0-49-0) and Aaliyah Alleyne (4.5-0-36-1) played their part with the ball for the West Indies.
Masabata Klaas’ fierce opening bursts blows the West Indian top-order apart
After multiple rain breaks, the run chase was eventually reduced to a 39-over contest, and the target was revised to 288 for the West Indies to clinch the ODI series. Pacer Masabata Klaas, playing her first game of the ODI series, blew away the West Indian top order in the blink of an eye to leave the home side in deep trouble at 10/4 in the 4th over of the run chase.
Double strikes from the left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, removing the wicket-keeper batter Shemaine Campbelle (12 off 29 balls) and Jannillea Glasgow in quick succession, pushed the West Indians further on the back foot, almost knocking them out of the contest at 40/6 in the 16th over of the run chase.
Aaliyah Alleyne (32 off 49 balls) partnered alongside Jahzara Claxton (43 off 32 balls), and the duo displayed remarkable character and resilience to take their side past the 100-run mark with a much-needed 65-run partnership for the 7th wicket, saving their side the blushes of what could have been even more worse for the Women in Maroon on home soil.
The hosts were eventually bundled out for 121 in the 28th over of the innings. Stafanie Taylor was unavailable to bat due to a shoulder injury suffered while on the field. West Indies fell 166 runs short of the target.
Masabata Klaas (6-0-25-4), Marizanne Kapp (4-1-7-1), Nonkululeko Mlaba (7-1-25-2), Sune Luus (6-0-20-0), and Annerie Dercksen (0.5-0-1-2) were exceptional with the ball for South Africa.
Tazmin Brits was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational century. She was also awarded the Player of the Series for ending as the leading run-scorer with 184 runs at a strike rate of 87.61 and an outstanding average of 61.33 in three innings, including one half-century and one century.
