Women’s World Cup: SA win to advance to knockouts

Miane Smit’s match-winning figures of 4/11 guided South Africa to a resounding 45-run victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the last group D clash of the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup at Willowmoore Park on January 18.

The 17-year-old off-spinner may have done the job for the hosts on the field, but coach Dinesha Devnarain still has a lot of questions to answer over the South Africans’ batting frailties.

Sent out to bat first after the UAE won the toss, South Africa again made things difficult for themselves as they could only reach 112 runs with only three batters scoring over 20 runs.

Without taking anything away from the UAE attack, which was mostly let down by poor fielding, the South African top order was undone by the poor shot selection, especially in the powerplay.

The opening pair of Elandri Janse van Rensburg raced to 33 runs in the first five overs before van Rensburg was dismissed by Indhuja Nandakumar in the sixth over.

Kayla Reyneke was moved to bat at three with Captain Oluhle Siyo moved down the order. The Western Province player’s stay at the crease wasn’t long as she was trapped LBW by Vaishnave Mahesh in the seventh over to leave South Africa in trouble on 39/2.

History maker Madison Landsman also didn’t stay long at the crease as she was dismissed for one off two balls by Nandakumar.

It was left to Karabo Meso and Lourens to restore parity but the latter was sent marching in the 12th over. Given a lifeline after being dropped in the over, she was caught at cover by Archara Supriya after miscuing a Lavanya Keny delivery.

Meso was joined by Smit at the crease but the pair couldn’t build a partnership as the latter was dismissed in the 13th over.

Siyo (25 off 28) and Jenna Evans (17 off 12) built a partnership that sent South Africa to a decent 112/7 at the end of their innings.

Set 113 to win, the UAE found themselves in a double whammy as their rush to reach their target cost them wickets at regular intervals.

They lost three wickets inside the powerplay. Leg-spinner Jemma Botha dismissed Theertha Satish in the third over while Ayanda Hlubi got the wickets of Lavanya and Mahika Gaur in the fourth.

Captain Siyo then called upon Smit in the 10th over and the off-breaker grabbed three wickets in two overs.

She first removed Rinitha Rijith (6 off 6) who tried to pull a shortish delivery only to edge it to Meso behind the stumps.

The all-rounder then had Vaishnave Mahesh caught at mid-on by Seshnie Naidu while her third and fourth wickets came in her next two overs, dismissing Supriya and Geethika Jyonis who was caught at long-on by Jenna Evans.

Naidu ended on figures of 2/16, getting the wickets of Samaira Dharnidharka in the ninth over and Nandakumar in the 17th.

Reyneke got the wicket of Siya Gokhale with a quick delivery that clipped the top of the right-hand stump to end on figures of 1/22.

That victory ensured the hosts qualify for the Super Six knockouts where they will play against Bangladesh on January 21 and Sri Lanka on January 24, in Potchefstroom.

Other results:

• India 149/4, Scotland 66. India won by 83 runs
• Australia 159/5, Sri Lanka 51. Australia won by 108 runs
• USA 103/4, Bangladesh 104/5. Bangladesh won by five wickets.

Also Read: Landsman grabs hat-trick as South Africa claims first victory

Also Read: Disappointment for SA in world cup opener at Willowmoore Park