Nonkululeko Mlaba stole the show and weathered another Sophie Devine masterclass to limit the White Ferns of New Zealand to 231 in 47.5 overs. Nonkuleleko Mlaba was too hot to handle for New Zealand today. New Zealand rode on Sophie Devine’s 85 to get to 231 in 47.5 overs which is a decent score on that pitch.
For South Africa, Mlaba picked up 4 wickets while others chipped in and there were run outs in the innings. The score is 231 runs and this match can go either ways as we sit in the interval at this stage.
Suzie Bates falls first ball as South Africa have a stranglehold of New Zealand in powerplay
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer came out to bat for New Zealand while Marizanne Kapp had ball in hand for South Africa. Kapp gave South Africa a perfect start as she dismissed Bates for a golden duck off the first ball of the match. Kapp from over the wicket bowled a good length delivery around off-stump that pitched and jagged back in a shade with the ball keeping a tad low as well Bates leaned forward and squared herself in order to defend it straight, She missed it on the inside edge and was wrapped on the front pad right in front of the stumps. Umpire gave it OUT. Bates reviewed in hope and saw three reds on ball tracking and burnt a review.
Amelia Kerr came out to bat next. Kerr beautifully caressed through the covers for a boundary off Kapp. Ayabonga Khaka had ball in hand from the other end. She started with a maiden over. Kapp continued as Plimmer broke the shackles by glancing it away to fine leg fence for a boundary. Khaka continued as Kerr glanced her away for a boundary to fine leg and two balls later she drove Khaka past mid-off for a boundary. Kapp continued and delivered a maiden over.
Khaka bowled a decent over keeping the boundaries down. Kapp continued and bowled another good one. We had a change in bowling. Masabata Klaas came onto bowl next. Plimmer welcomed her by pressing forward and driving through covers for a boundary. Nadine de Klerk came into the bowling crease next. Kerr greeted her by thrashing her through the off-side as the ball went away to the cover point region for a boundary.
Klaas continued and gifted 5 wides as a bonus for the batting side as the keeper missed it as well as New Zealand took those runs with open arms. At the end of 10 overs and the first powerplay, New Zealand were 38/1.
Amelia Kerr falls, but Sophie Devine leads fightback for New Zealand.Â
Nadine de Klerk continued and bowled a tidy 11th over. Klaas continued as Amelia Kerr survived a run out chance even as runs had dried up a bit. Nadine de Klerk kept things tight and then removed Amelia Kerr for 23 off 42 balls with 4 fours to her name. Nadine bowled a slower ball on a length around fourth stump. Kerr leaned forward and looked to clip it away on the leg side. She got a leading edge which ballooned over the head of extra cover. Sune Luus at mid-off moved to her left to dive full length and took a good catch with both hands. Captain Sophie Devine came onto bat next.
Klaas gifted another 5 wides to the batting side as the 50 came up for New Zealand in 14 overs. Nadine de Klerk continued and bowled a tight over as New Zealand reached 51/2 in 15 overs when players took the first Drinks Break. Kapp returned after the break and bowled a miserly over. Nadine continued as Devine pulled her off the front foot towards midwicket region for a boundary. She hit the next ball as well through the covers for a boundary.
Kapp continued as Devine hit her for back-to-back boundaries through midwicket and square leg and then through mid-on for a boundary. Spin was introduced next. Nonkululeko Mlaba came into the attack now. Plimmer worked her away through the leg side to fine leg region for a boundary. Khaka came back into the attack and bowled a decent over as New Zealand reached 83/2 in 20 overs.
Mlaba bowled a decent over giving nothing away. Khaka too kept things under check. Mlaba continued as Plimmer found the gap this time by dancing down the pitch and cracked it up over Mlaba’s head for a boundary between mid-off and mid-on. The 50-run stand came up between the two players. Khaka continued and bowled a decent over. Mlaba continued as the 100 came up for New Zealand in 24.3 overs. And so, at the halfway stage of the innings, New Zealand were 101/2 in 25 overs as the match was now in the balance going into the second half of the innings.
Plimmer falls, but Devine and Halliday leads the charge to take New Zealand to 195/4 in 40 overs
Chloe Tryon came onto the attack next. She got the breakthrough for South Africa getting rid of Plimmer for 31 off 68 balls with 4 fours to her name. Tryon bowled a full length delivery on the middle stump line. Plimmer danced down the pitch to take it on. She doesn’t hit it right off the middle of the bat. The ball carried to Nadine de Klerk at long-on. Brooke Halliday came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary by lunging forward and driving through covers.
Mlaba continued and bowled a decent over. Halliday took the attack to Tryon by sweeping wide off short fine leg for a boundary. Halliday was not letting Tryon settle down as she hit it front of square between cover and point for a boundary. Sune Luus came into the attack next. She started her spell with a miserly over. Halliday once again hit Tryon by sweeping it between short fine leg and deep square leg for a boundary. Few balls later, Halliday reverse swept it past backward point for a boundary. New Zealand reached 131/3 in 30 overs.
Luus continued and bowled a decent over. Klaas came back into the attack as Devine flicked it away to the fine leg region for a boundary. Halliday was not to be left behind as she nudged her away to the fine leg fence for a boundary. New Zealand were 148/3 in 32 overs when the second Drinks Break was called by the umpires. Luus continued after the Drinks Break as the 50-run stand came up between Halliday and Devine. Devine reached her own individual fifty off 66 balls as she got her second fifty against South Africa. Her rich vein of form in this tournament continued.
Klaas continued and bowled a quiet over. Luus too kept things under check. Klaas continued and bowled a decent over yet again. Devine then took the attack to Luus by first heaving it away powerfully on the leg side by pumping it over midwicket while the next ball was swept to deep backward square leg for a boundary. Then there was a run out opportunity that was missed as Devine survived the run out scare.
Nadine de Klerk came back into the attack. and bowled a decent over. Nonkululeko Mlaba came back into the attack and broke the budding partnership as Halliday fell for a well-made 45 off 37 balls with 6 fours to her name. Mlaba from over the wicket tossed it up full around off-stump turning back in. Halliday went down on one knee and went for the big slog sweep. She mistimed it completely as she got a top edge which went straight up in the air. Mlaba called for it and moved to her left to take the comfortable catch. Maddy Green came out to bat next.
South Africa appealed for LBW against Sophie Devine but Devine got an inside edge and so the decision stood as the Proteas lost their review. Mlaba bowled a decent over giving away only 2 runs. Green survived a run out scare as she got home safely. De Klerk bowled a decent over as New Zealand reached 195/4 in 40 overs. The stage was set and we were in for an intriguing last 10 overs.
Devine falls for 85 as South Africa bounces back to limit New Zealand to 231 in 47.5 overs.Â
Mlaba removed Maddy Green for 4 off 7 balls. Mlaba from around the wicket bowled a length delivery on the leg stump line. Green went for the reverse sweep and failed to control it. She spooned it in the air. Anneke Bosch at backward point was vigilant and dived to her left and completed a terrific catch. Isabella Gaze came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Gaze lunged forward to drive straight and got the outside edge off Mlaba to third man region as the 200 came up for New Zealand in 40.5 overs.
Marizanne Kapp came back into the attack as Gaze cut her away through backward point and third man for a boundary. Mlaba continued as Devine took her on and jumped down the track and hacked it past mid-off for a boundary. Gaze then was run out for 10 off 9 balls with 2 fours to her name. Jess Kerr came out to bat next and got off the mark soon. Devine then slapped it away by pulling it to deep backward square leg and deep midwicket for a boundary.
Mlaba then struck the hammer blow getting rid of Devine for a well made 85 off 98 balls with 9 fours to her name. Mlaba bowled a full length delivery at the leg stump line. Devine was forward trying to work the ball away from the midwicket fielder. It went straight through her attempted across the line shot as the ball hit the back pad and carted back on the leg stump. Lea Tahuhu came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. After 45 overs, New Zealand were 221/7.
Khaka returned to the attack and got rid of Jess Kerr for 2 off 8 balls. She bowled a length delivery pitching outside the off-stump. Jess made room and got down on her back knee and swung across the line. She launched it high in the air and picked up de Klerk at long-on boundary. De Klerk scrambled a few yards backwards taking it in front of her face. Eden Carson came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Mlaba struck as she got rid of Tahuhu for 5 off 9 balls. Mlaba tossed it up outside the off-stump line. Tahuhu took a big forward stride looking to drive through extra cover. She hit it uppish with Laura Wolvaardt at extra cover paced a couple of yards to her right and took a one-handed stunner extending her hand. She threw herself into it and got her right hand in a fantastic position to pluck it out of thin air. Bree Illing came out to bat next.
Khaka continued and we had a run out to end the innings as Carson looking for the third run was run out in the non-striker’s end for 4 off 4 balls. Illing was unbeaten on 1 off 4 balls as New Zealand were bowled out for 231 in 47.5 overs. 21 extras given by South Africa which included 19 wides as well.
Nonkululeko Mlaba was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa with figures of 4/40 in 10 overs. Marizanne Kapp finished with 1/34 in 8 overs. Ayabonga Khaka finished with 1/31 in 7.5 overs. Nadine de Klerk chipped in with 1/32 in 7 overs. Chloe Tryon picked up 1/24 in 3 overs. Masabata Klaas finished with 0/36 in 7 overs. Sune Luus finished with 0/32 in 5 overs. South Africa now needed 232 runs to win this game.
Who’s winning, New Zealand or South Africa
South Africa have done well to keep New Zealand down to 231. But this pitch is not the easiest of surfaces and will require good batting to get home from here for South Africa. This match is up for grabs and can go either ways at this stage. Both teams are in it and the start will be important. New Zealand will be trying hard to defend the score but South Africa will fancy their chances as well.
Let’s see how the chase unfolds very shortly.
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