Royal King decimates Proteas

Australia’s Alana King produced figures of 7-18 to decimate the South African Women batting line-up in a top-of-the-table ICC Women’s World Cup clash at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Saturday.

King’s seven over spell included two maidens to bowl South Africa out for just 97 in 24 overs, the best ODI figures for the Australia Women and the best in an ICC World Cup match after captain Tahlia McGrath had won the toss and asked Laura Wolvaardt’s charges to bat first.

Wolvaardt made the perfect start for the SA ladies, striking seven boundaries from 25 balls in an opening stand of 32 with Tazmin Brits (6) before being caught by King at short mid-wicket. That first wicket opened up the flood gates as Brits was then trapped in front by Kim Garth (5-2-21-1).

Sune Luus (6) became King’s first victim, being caught by Ash Sutherland at mid-wicket after getting a top-edge from a slog-sweep. King’s wicket-to-wicket bowling and turn bamboozled the South African ladies at Annerie Dercksen (5), Sinalo Jafta (29), Nadine de Klerk (14) and Masabata Klaas (4) all had their stumps broken.

Marizanne Kapp lasted just four deliveries before slicing a drive to Garth at backward point without scoring while Chloe Tryon flicked King straight to Gardner at mid-wicket for a first-ball duck.

Gardner (4-0-19-1) got in on the act at the back-end of the South African innings, clean-bowling Ayabonga Khaka for a five-ball duck.

Jafta tried her best with some unorthodox shots to unsettle the Australian attack, striking seven boundaries from 17 balls but her inventiveness came to a quick end, when she was castled by King.

Australia’s bowling was so pin-point that they conceded just a solitary wide in the 24 overs sent down. The sad part for the South African ladies is that only three players made double figures and they did not give themselves a chance to try and secure only their second victory over Australia in 19 attempts.

Unless something untoward happens, Australia are on their way to play India on Thursday in the second semifinal while South Africa will face England on Wednesday in the first semifinal.

AUSTRALIA WOMEN: Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Beth Mooney (wk), Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath (capt), Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt

SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba