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SA thrash Scotland to move towards semi finals

cricket09 October 2024 16:15| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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South African captain, Laura Wolvaardt, led from the front during a magnificent batting performance which yielded a daunting total of 166-5 and an overwhelming victory by 80-runs in their T20 World Cup group ‘B’ match against Scotland at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Wolvaardt blazed 40 from just 27 balls during an opening stand of 64 with Tazmin Brits (43) as the SA women produced the highest Power Play (60) and the highest total of the tournament so far.

Minnows Scotland crumbled in the face of the run mountain with only two batters reaching double figures as they were dismissed for just 86 in 17.5 overs to giving South Africa a much needed net run-rate boost which is likely to mean that even a narrow victory in their final match against Bangladesh should be good enough for a semifinal place.

Marizanne Kapp yet again confirmed her status as one of the most destructive batters in the game with a magnificent 43 from only 24 balls (6x4) to build an almost certainly insurmountable total for the World Cup first-timers.

Wolvaardt’s innings was ended by a splendid, diving catch at extra cover by Olivia Bell off the bowling of offspinner Katherine Fraser who had earlier gifted the opener a life when she had scored just two with a horrible dropped catch at mid-off.

Brits’ valuable innings ended in similar fashion after matching Wolvaardt’s boundary count with five fours and also a straight six when she failed to connect cleanly with another off-drive against Olivia Bell, the third offspinner in Scotland’s attack, and was caught by Bryce.

Kapp sliced a drive against seamer Bryce to Carter at cover point but her job was complete while Sune Luus included a couple of swept boundaries in her unbeaten 18 from 13 balls.

Two caught-and-bowled dismissals by Chloe Tryon (2-22) accounted for opener Sarah Bryce and her sister and captain, Kathryn, at the top of the order and fellow left arm spinner, Nonkululeko Mlaba (4-0-12-3), worked her way through the middle order.

There was also some excellent fielding and catching, again led by Wolvaardt who held a stunner diving at cover to give Annerie Dercksen a wicket in her solitary over and Nadine de Klerk (2-15) finished the match with the final wicket.

South Africa named the same starting XI for the third consecutive game and must win to keep alive their hopes of reaching the semifinals having beaten the West Indies by 10-wickets but lost to second favourites England by seven-wickets.


SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wkt), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka

SCOTLAND: Saskia Horley, Sarah Bryce (wkt), Kathryn Bryce (captain), Ailsa Lister, Priyanaz Chatterji, Darcey Carter, Lorna Jack, Katherine Fraser, Rachel Slater, Abtaha Maqsood, Olivia Bell

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