South Africa lose despite Britz century

Wednesday, 30 April 2025 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

India wins second game in row in Women’s ODI Tri-Series

Tazmin Brits notched up her third WODI century and shared an opening stand of 140 with skipper Laura Wolvaardt to give South Africa a superb start to their run chase of 277, but in the end it was off-spinner Sneh Rana’s three-wicket over is what sealed the game in India’s favour as they went onto win by 15 runs and register their second successive win in the Women’s ODI Tri-Series at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

While Wolvaardt (43 off 75 balls, 3 fours) wasn’t at her fluent best, Brits scored at a run-a-ball and kept her team in the game. She got a couple of reprieves (on 51 and 67) and punished the Indians by notching up her century (109 off 107 balls, 13 fours, 3 sixes). Just when she started to up the ante, she walked off, retired hurt on 108 and that turned out to be a big moment in the contest.

The Indian bowlers kept it tight and picked wickets at regular intervals. Annerie Dercksen (30 off 20 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) looked in good touch as she kept finding boundaries to keep South Africa in the hunt. But Rana turned the match on its head. She removed Chloe Tryon in her 9th over and followed it with a three-wicket over which included the wickets of Nadine de Klerk, Dercksen and Brits. South Africa needed 25 off the last two overs but had only two wickets in hand and India effected a couple of run-outs to win the contest by 15 runs. Rana for the second game in a row, produced a match-turning performance (5/43) and deservedly took the Player of the Match award.

“We’d been set up nice and early, but lost our way towards the end. It’s unfortunate what happened with Tazmin, but it’s really hot, what can you do? She could barely get up the stairs. She did a good job, it should have been up to the others,” said South African skipper Wolvaardt.

India winning the toss and batting first got off to a superb start as both openers displayed a mixture of caution and aggression, helping the side build yet another 50-plus stand. Pratika Rawal (78 off 91 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) continued her brilliant run in Indian colours and went on to become the fastest to get to 500 runs in Women’s ODIs. She was complemented well by Smriti Mandhana (36) and Harleen Deol (29), who both missed out on converting their starts into a big one. Jemimah Rodrigues played an impactful knock of 32-ball 41 and so did Richa Ghosh who smashed 24 off 14. Harmanpreet Kaur (41 off 48) looked scratchy and struggled to pick the variations during the slog overs, but India managed 98/3 off the last 11 overs. South Africa were sloppy in the field and missed quite a few crucial chances which told the difference in the end.

Sri Lanka playss South Africa on Friday in the third match of the tournament.

Scores:

India Women 276-6 (50) (Pratika Rawal 78, Smriti Mandhana 36, Harleen Deol 29, Harmanpreet Kaur 41, Richa Ghosh 24, Nonkululeku Mlaba 2/55)
South Africa Women 261 (49.2) (Laura Wolvaardt 43, Tazmin Brits 109, Sune Luus 28, Annerie Dercksen 30, Sneh Rana 5/43)

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