Women’s Emerging Academy triumph in final one-dayer against Namibia

Allrounder Eliz-Mari Marx top-scored with a half-century to guide the CSA Women’s Emerging Academy to a three-wicket victory over Namibia in the third and final 50-over match in Windhoek on Saturday.

The triumph gave the touring side a 2-1 series win.

Marx recorded a 65-ball 64, including nine fours and one six, in South Africa’s successful chase of 205-9, which featured an unbeaten 61* off 55 balls (9 fours) from Kayleen Green while Kayla Reyneke claimed figures of 3-32.

The Capricorn Eagles won the toss and elected to bat, finding it difficult to score runs early on as Marx (2-44) and Caitlin Wyngaard (1-19) struck early.

They removed Mezerly Gorasis (1) and Yasmeen Khan (0) to leave the home side reeling on 15-2 at the end of the powerplay.

After the slow start, captain Sunè Wittmann (32) and Edelle Van Zyl (46) helped the Namibian outfit steady the innings, adding 30 runs for the second wicket before Leah Jones (1-32) removed her opposite number in the 15th over.

Van Zyl then led another crucial stand, adding 47 runs with Bianca Manuel (8) for the fourth wicket before both batters were sent to the dugout by Reyneke and Delmi Tucker (1-22), reducing the Eagles to 110/5 in the 34th over.

Following the double blow, the rebuild job was undertaken by Green and Mekelaye Mwatile (42).

The duo combined for an important 78-run partnership to propel Namibia to 188-5 with less than four overs to go before four further wickets curtailed the hosts’ efforts.

Reyneke claimed the scalps of M Mwatile and Arrasta Diergaardt (2) while Mona-Lisa Legodi (1-28) and Marx got rid of Wilka Mwatile (1) and Eveleen Kejarukua (0) to restrict the Eagles to 205-9 in 50 overs.

MATCH-WINNING STAND

In their chase, the Emerging Academy got off to a positive start through openers Alexandra Candler (23) and Jenna Evans (29).

The pair put on 56 runs for the first wicket before both batters, as well as Tucker (1), were dismissed in quick succession, leaving the visitors 58-3 shortly after the powerplay.

The chase was brought back on track by a 53-run stand between Oluhle Siyo (29) and Marx, pushing the South African side past the 100-run mark before Siyo and new batter Reyneke (8) fell to Green (1-20) and Leigh-Marie Visser (1-46).

With the score 125-5 at the halfway mark of the innings, still needing 81 runs to win, Marx found another able partner in Luyanda Nzuza (34).

The all-round duo partnered for a match-winning 76-run stand for the sixth wicket to help the South Africans close in on a victory.

Although Wittmann (2-21) and a run out claimed the important wickets of Marx and Siyo respectively, leaving the away side on 201-7, it was too little too late for Namibia as the Women’s Emerging Academy wrapped up the chase to seal a three-wicket win and 2-1 series triumph with 10.5 overs to spare.