Record-breaking opening partnership leads SA to series win

The Momentum Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt and Taznim Brits shared a record-breaking opening stand to lead South Africa to a 216-run win in the last match of their three-match ODI series against Bangladesh at Willowmoore Park on December 23.

After choosing to bat first, the pair put together a 243 runs first wicket partnership, the highest for South Africa in women’s ODIs, with both players scoring centuries.

The SA skipper notched up her ton, her second this year and fifth of her career, in the 38th over, while Brits struck up her first hundred in the format with a four through mid-off two overs later.

Wolvaardt posted 126 runs before she was dismissed by Marufa Akter in the 43rd over after dragging the ball to the stumps while Brits scored 118 off 124 balls before being stumped by Nigar Sultana from a Ritu Moni delivery.

Sune Luus then scored a quick-fire 34 off 17 balls before falling to Rabeya Khan in the last over while Anneke Bosch posted an unbeaten 28 off 19 as South Africa reached 316-4 after 50 overs to set Bangladesh 317 to win.

It was only the fourth time the team had posted over 300 runs in a match.

In response, Bangladesh was skittled out for 100 with seamers Ayabonga Khaka and Naidine de Klerk the chief destroyers, taking three wickets each while Marizanne Kapp added two.

South Africa took four early wickets as Kapp and Khaka cleaned up the visitors’ top order, restricting them to just 37 runs in the first power-play, as they shared two wickets each.

Shamima Sultana opened Bangladesh’s account with a four off Kapp and that seemed to have poked the bear as she was caught behind by the keeper, Sinalo Japhta, from Kapp with the third ball of the over.

Khaka then dismissed Murshida Khatun with the last ball of the second over as she was caught at mid-wicket by Brits.

The Bangladesh batters continued to struggle as Fargana Hoque followed Khatun to the shed in the sixth over after she was caught at cover by substitute Tumi Sekhukhune from a Khaka delivery.

Kapp grabbed her second wicket after trapping the Bangladesh skipper, Sultana in front before leaving the field injured after falling on a sprinkler.

Elize-mari Marx joined in on the fun as she trapped Fahima Khatun (15 off 26) in the 17th over to leave Bangladesh in complete disarray on 64-5.

Shorna Akter followed Fahima to the change room in the 20th over after being run out for a duck by De Klerk before the South African bowler got rid of Ritu Moni (33 of 67) with a missile that rattled the stumps in the 28th over.

Khaka grabbed her third scalp of the match with the wicket of Nahida Akter, caught at mid-wicket by a flying Luus for the hosts’ eighth wicket.

De Klerk cleaned the Bangladesh tail with the wickets of Khan, trapped in front for a duck in the 30th over, and Marufa Akter, also trapped LBW with the first ball of the 32nd over as SA won by 216 runs to take the series 2-1.

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