4 April 2014
The South African women’s cricket team bowed out of the ICC World Twenty20 in the semi-finals on Friday, losing to England in Dhaka by nine wickets, with 19 balls remaining, but there were plenty of positives to take away from the tournament.
‘Absolutely amazing’
Reflecting on her team’s showing in the event, South African captain Mignon du Preez said at the post-match ceremony: “It’s been absolutely amazing, the way we’ve proved ourselves over and over again.
“We have grown so much as a team and we have played as a unit, and the character the girls have shown throughout the tournament has been absolutely amazing, and I am quite a proud captain at the moment. I think we can now go and built on this and come back even stronger.”
It was only the second time that South Africa had made the semi-finals of an ICC tournament. Previously they had played in the final four of the 2000 World Cup.
‘It’s really exciting’
England captain Charlotte Edwards was happy to reach the World Twenty20 final against Australia, with the teams set to meet in a repeat of the 2012 final. “It’s really exciting. I think the team played exceptionally well today. It was the kind of performance you want to put in in a semi-final,” Edwards said.
The Proteas were undone by some poor running between the wickets, with five players being run out, to equal the record for most run outs in a women’s T20 international. England’s greater experience also told against the far younger Proteas.
Shrubsole’s impact
Their batting was also undermined by England opening bowler Anya Shrubsole, who forced South Africa onto the back foot with two early wickets.
The top wicket-taker in the tournament, Shrubsole clean bowled Lizelle Lee with a big in-swinger in the very first over, removing Lee’s leg stump. She followed that up with the wicket of Trisha Chetty in the third over, with another big in-swinger that came in further off the seam, removing Chetty’s middle and leg stumps.
‘She did put us under pressure’
“I think Anya bowled really well and she did put us under pressure quite early on, and then those few unlucky run outs [hurt us],” South African captain Mignon du Preez said at the post-match ceremony, “but I think the girls have played well throughout the tournament and it has been absolutely amazing and we’ve really had fun out here.”
When Yolandi van der Westhuizen was trapped plumb LBW by Rebecca Grundy in the fourth over for six, the Proteas were in big trouble on 14 for 3.
Successive fours by captain Mignon du Preez off Grundy in the sixth over loosened the shackles a little, but Shrubsole bowled through unchanged to finish with a fine return of 2 for 12 in her four overs and was later named player of the match.
First run out
Du Preez and opener Dane van Niekerk tried to steady the South African ship, but Van Niekerk was run out for seven off 21 deliveries in the tenth over, from a direct hit by wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor. Disappointingly, Van Niekerk did not appear to be running at full pace as she headed to the bowler’s end.
Just three balls later, Marizanne Kapp was also run out. She failed to score and once more the dismissal came at the bowler’s end, this time on a throw from England skipper Edwards.
With those two run outs, the Proteas had slumped to 33 for 5.
Partnership
Du Preez and Chloe Tryon then added 33 for the sixth wicket before the South African captain was caught at deep midwicket by Lydia Greenway off the bowling of Rebecca Grundy for a good-looking 23 off 31 deliveries in the 14th over.
With the last ball of the 16th over, Sune Luus became the third South African to be run out. Coming back for a second run, she collided with Chloe Tryon, sending both players sprawling on the pitch. Luus quickly got back to her feet, but she was far short of her ground and out for five off of six balls.
Shabnim Ismail became the fourth victim of a run out in the 19th over when she played a ball straight to Shrubsole at extra cover and set off for a run, but was run out for six off eight balls.
Highest score
Tryon was the ninth wicket to fall for the innings’ highest score of 40 off 31 balls, which was also a career best. Her knock included two sixes and three fours.
The last of the run out dismissals came on the fifth ball of the last over when Moseline Daniels was out to a direct hit by Natalie Sciver for one.
Shrubsole’s devastating burst at the top of the Proteas’ order had led to South Africa needing 80 balls for their first 50. Their second came more quickly, off 38 deliveries, but the numerous run outs led to Du Preez and company being dismissed for only 101.
Convincing reply
England, in reply, had few problems, with the star opening pair of Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor keeping the scoreboard ticking over nicely until Edwards was caught and bowled by Sune Luus for 35 off 40 balls. By then, however, the total was 67 in the 12th over and England were well on the way to victory.
Taylor went on to finish undefeated on 44 off of 45 balls, while Heather Knight weighed in with 21 off of 16 deliveries.
