Sports
WINDIES WOMEN TAKE FIRST GAME
by Jamal Bovell
Playing at the 3 W’s Oval yesterday in a rain affected game, the West Indies women relied on a solid team effort in the field and a good opening platform set by captain Hayley Mathews(44 from 40balls) and opening partner Qiana Joseph(60 from 58 balls) to take a 1-0 over the South African Women.
West Indies won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat first and the Proteas opening pair of Captain Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits set a solid platform that had some in the small crowd wondering if it was the right decision as they made their way to 73 from 15 overs before a sharp piece of fielding from Realeanna Grimmond helped to affect a run out to send Woolvaardt back for a watchful 27 from 49. Nondumiso Shangese came in next and struggled before a mix up led to her being run out for 2 from 11.
Game then seemed to swing more in the home team favor as they were able to remove Brits who was starting to look ominous and Annerie Dercksen in quick succession to leave South Africa women on 105/4 at the half way point. However, some responsible batting from Sune Luus(32 from 53) and wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta who added 40 in 9 overs before the later went. The visitors looked in dire straights after a couple more wickets fell before Nadine de Klerk hit an attacking 42 from just 38 balls to lift them to 232/9.
In their chase the home team started in a controlled manner and they made they way up to 27 without lost befoeafter 6 overs. Then Matthews cut loose in the 7th and bludgeoned 16 off medium pacer Ayabonga Khaka. Joseph not to be left out then joined in with 12 from the next over to repay de Klerk with some the same aggression she had showed with the bat. From here the flood gates were opened and the runs came easily for the next few overs until Matthews fell to Ayanda Hlubi. Hlubi continues her good opening spell applying pressure to the Windies batters. Joseph tried to cut free once more but fell to Hlubi and the visitors smelt blood with the home team at 106/2.
South Africa must have thought they had entered the ascendancy as the home team struggled along to 127/4 losing Grimmond for 5 from 18 and Chinelle Henry for 11 from 10 before the rains came. However after the showers with a now revised score of 180 from 34 overs meaning the west indies now had to score a further 53 runs from the remaining 8.3 overs. Veteran Stafanie Taylor held the chase together to finish unbeaten on 30 from 34 balls and shephered the chase home with the West Indies winning in 32 overs to take the 1-0 series lead.
The series continues on Saturday at the 3 W’s oval from 10am. Admission is free.
