Brits' blitz leads South Africa to victory

Tazmin Brits carved a sensational unbeaten 98 to set South Africa Women up for a commanding 50-run victory over West Indies Women in their T20I contest at the Three Ws Oval in Cave Hill, Barbados, on Friday night. South Africa leads the three-match series 1-0.

Brits was at the crease from the start to the finish of South Africa's innings as she authored a record-breaking knock to lead her side to 183 for six. This is the visitors' highest score against the West Indies in T20Is. The hosts progressed in fits and starts on their way to 133 for six.

"It is very pleasing to start with a win. I think T20 cricket is all about momentum, so really nice to take this win into the rest of the series," Laura Wolvaardt, South Africa's captain, said after the match.

Brits rightly faced the last delivery of South Africa's innings, and she tonked it for a six to lift her score to 98 off 63 balls. Her knock featured nine fours and four sixes. This is the highest individual score by any batter against the West Indies. It is also her 14th T20I half-century. She faced 34 deliveries to reach the milestone.

"I know it sounds like a cliche, but as long as I put in performances to get the team over the line, that's what I am all about," Brits, who was named the Player of the Match for her performance, shared after the fixture.

SLUGGISH START

Brits' innings made up for South Africa's slow start. The hosts were forced onto the back foot after losing Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp with only 25 runs on the board after 4.2 overs. Brits combined with Nadine de Klerk (21) for a 71-run third-wicket partnership that breathed new life into the innings.

"We probably didn't use the wicket as we wanted to," Hayley Matthews, the West Indies captain, shared.

South Africa's bowling attack did not waste time before putting the hosts under pressure with the ball. They bagged their first wicket in the second over, courtesy of a brilliant catch by Tryon at the boundary to see the back of the big-hitting Qiana Joseph. They did not look back and took four more wickets between then and the 10th over.

Tryon's catch was off Marizanne Kapp's bowling. The allrounder was South Africa's most successful bowler with two wickets for 27 runs in three overs. Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka, and Nadine de Klerk each took a single wicket.

The visitors' bowling attack was backed by excellent fielding. The visitors made minimal mistakes and looked a world removed from their opponents, who made several errors in the field. South Africa's cohesion in the field denied the West Indies room to be expansive.

Jannillea Glasgow couldn't provide the hosts with a similar innings to Brits', but she did enough to be the hosts' top run-scorer in the contest with an unbeaten 53 off 44 balls. Her innings featured five fours. This is her maiden half-century in T20Is. She faced 40 deliveries to reach the milestone.

Glasgow shared an 81-run partnership with Chinelle Henry, who scored a fighting 26 from 32 balls. Their sixth-wicket partnership provided the local crowd with something to root for, despite it not moving quickly enough to pose a threat to South Africa's total. The West Indies were so far behind in the contest that they struck their first six in the 18th over.

Jahzara Claxton was another top performer for the West Indies. The 19-year-old pacer bowled well on her way to her best bowling figures in T20Is. She bagged the key wickets of Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, and Nadine de Klerk to finish with 3-39. Claxton outdid her previous best, 1-15, which she claimed against England earlier in the year.

WEST INDIES: Hayley Matthews (capt), Shermaine Campbelle (wk), Aaliyah Alleyne, Jahzara Claxton, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Realeanna Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Qiana Joseph, Karishma Ramharack.

SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Miane Smit, Marizanne Kapp, Karabo Meso (wk), Annerie Dercksen, Chloe Tryon, Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka.