South Africa beat Zimbabwe to lead series

Captain Oluhle Siyo hit a brilliant half-century and Seshnie Naidu grabbed three wickets as South Africa’s U/19 women beat Zimbabwe by 75 runs at Willowmoore Park on October 2.

Siyo hit a brilliant 69 and was ably supported by Madison Landsman (28), sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 54 as the hosts took a two nil lead in the five-match T20 series.

South Africa then restricted Zimbabwe to 75-9 following a brilliant bowling and fielding performance.

Required to score over nine runs an over to chase South Africa’s score of 180, Zimbabwe’s fightback began poorly. They never recovered from losing four wickets inside the powerplay.

Ayanda Hlubi grabbed the wicket of opener Kay Ndiraya while Kelis Ndlovu was stumped by Miane Smit early on. Beloved Biza’s wicket followed after she was run-out by Diara Ramlakan in the fourth over following some brilliant fielding at backward point.

Nthabiseng Nini piled more pressure on the visitors as she struck with the first ball of the fifth over, sending the bails flying with a thunderous delivery.

Languishing in the mid-20s with four wickets gone, the Zimbabweans tried their best to look for gaps but their hosts’ fielding was far superior.

Naidu grabbed South Africa’s sixth wicket in the sixth over to end Zimbabwe’s hopes of a fightback. Despite Danielle Meikle’s clean strokes in the middle overs, the hosts’ attack kept probing.

Naidu added two more wickets to her tally to end on three while Hlubi (2) and Ramlakan grabbed South Africa’s remaining wickets to end their opponents’ innings on 75-9.

Earlier, South Africa’s opening pair of Elandri Janse van Rensburg and Simone Lourens started with aplomb, scoring 34 runs inside two overs before Lourens was dismissed for 19 in the third over by Michelle Mavunga.

Skipper Siyo joined Jane van Rensburg at the crease and they both kept the scoreboard ticking, guiding South Africa to a half-century inside four overs.

Janse van Rensburg was then sent back to the shed by a Mavunga delivery, caught at mid-on in the fifth over. She departed for 33.

South Africa scored 62 runs inside the powerplay. After that however, they lost three wickets before Siyo and Landsman steadied the innings. The duo capitalised on Zimbabwe’s misfielding, running between the wickets with aplomb.

Siyo reached her 50 in the 13th over. She was dismissed for 69 with two overs left after her bat mistakenly hit the bails.

Landsman followed a few balls later but the job was already done as Dinesha Devnarain’s side posted 180-6 in their 20 overs.

South Africa won the first match on October 1.

Remaining fixtures:

• October 4 – third T20 at 10:00
• October 6 – fourth T20 at 13:00
• October 7 – fifth T20 at 10:00

Also Read: Willowmoore Park to host SA women’s U19s against Zimbabwe