Proteas collapse against India in opening match of women’s ODI tri-series

The Proteas women’s team fell apart at the death on Tuesday as they were handed a 15-run defeat to India in their opening match of a two-week ODI tri-series in Colombo.

Set a target of 277 runs to win, the SA team were restricted to 261 all out after losing their last five wickets in the space of just 13 deliveries.

Opening batters Tazmin Brits and Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt put up a fight, sharing 140 runs for the first wicket before their partnership was broken in the 28th over when Wolvaardt was trapped leg-before by spin bowler Deepti Sharma.

And five overs later, Brits left the field after battling in the hot conditions, having racked up 108 runs at a little faster than a run a ball – her third career ODI century – which left the Proteas scratching to regain enough momentum to chase down their target.

Down the order, all-rounder Annerie Dercksen tried to keep the SA team in the hunt, hitting 30 runs off 20 deliveries.

Brits returned to the crease with 16 balls left in the innings, though she was removed just four balls later for 109 runs, with spinner Sneh Rana ripping through the middle-order. Rana took three wickets in the third-last over and returned match figures of 5/43.

Under pressure, the Proteas tail crumbled as they were bowled out with four balls left in the innings.

India innings

Earlier, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, India’s top order delivered a solid all-round effort.

While their top six all contributed more than 20 runs each, only opener Pratika Rawal was able to kick on to a half-century.

Rawal made 78 runs off 91 balls – her fifth successive ODI fifty – before she was removed by left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba in the 31st over of the innings.

Five of South Africa’s bowlers took wickets, led by Mlaba who returned 2/55, but they struggled to pin back their opponents, who compiled 276/6 in their 50 overs.

‘We lost out way’

“We’d been set up nice and early but lost our way towards the end,” Wolvaardt said after the match.

“It’s unfortunate what happened with Tazmin, but it’s really hot, so what can you do? She could barely get up the stairs. She did a good job and it should have been up to the others.”

India climbed to the top of the tri-series standings after beating Sri Lanka and South Africa in their first two matches.

The Proteas were set to face hosts Sri Lanka in their next match in Colombo on Friday.