Roses rule over Proteas on Benoni turf
The South African women’s cricket team, the Momentum Proteas, ended a three-year wait to play international cricket in their own backyard with the first of their three-game One-Day International (ODI) series against England at Sahara Park Willowmoore on Sunday, February 7.
A career-best score of 90 runs from opener Trisha Chetty was not enough for the Momentum Proteas as they slipped to a seven-wicket loss (on Duckworth-Lewis method).
In their first competitive fixture in almost 11 months, skipper Mignon du Preez’s side, batting first after winning the toss, put on a score of 196 all out.
Charlotte Edwards’ England XI then chased down a revised victory target of 150 runs, which was adjusted twice after rain delays, with 39 balls remaining.
Chetty was the linchpin in the South African batting innings as she eased past her previous best of 76 not out, while fresh-faced 16-year-old debutant and opener Laura Wolfvaardt (out for five runs) was one of four scalps for eventual Player-of-the-Match Anya Shrubsole who bagged bowling figures of 4/29.
Captain du Preez (38 runs) and Chetty then provided the hosts with an excellent platform to build on thanks to their 93-run, second wicket stand.
The former’s wicket would eventually fall to Shrubsole with the score on 119/2.
The English bowler then claimed the wicket of Marizanne Kapp (0) in succession to knock the host team’s confidence.
Chetty, however, soldiered on through cramp, before she finally edged a Heather Knight delivery behind to wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor that left the Proteas women all out with four balls left in the innings.
With the leather it was Kapp (1/26) who claimed the first English wicket of Lauren Winfield (10) with 29 runs on the scoreboard, but Amy Jones blasted six fours in a brisk stand of 34 from 27 deliveries that gave the visitors good momentum.
When the rain first came down in Benoni the English were 63/2 in 13.1 overs.
The target was then revised and set to 194 from 48 overs.
Skipper Edwards (33) was soon bowled by Marcia Letsoalo (1/20) soon after the delay, but Taylor (41) and Knight (26) steered the away team home following a second rain delay that lasted just under an hour.
SuperSport Park, in Centurion, will be the venue of the second ODI match on Friday, February 12.
