The Proteas captain made history at Willowmoore Park on Monday, smashing an unbeaten 92 to secure a 4-1 series win over India and setting a new world record for the most runs in a T20I series (330). Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
The Proteas Women's team wrapped up their ICC T20 World Cup preparations in magnificent fashion with a comprehensive win over India at Willowmoore Park in Benoni to close out the five-match series 4-1.
The home team restricted India to 132/8 in response to their 155/6 to claim victory by 23 runs. As so often is the case, in whatever format, it was Laura Wolvaardt who played the most prominent role for her team.
It has been a record-breaking series for the Proteas Women’s captain, and she continued in that vein at Willowmoore Park, with another magical undefeated 92 from 56 balls, pushing her series tally to 330 runs — the most by any batter in a women’s T20I series.
Wolvaardt’s innings was a masterpiece of placement and timing, interspersed with brute force — an element the skipper has successfully added to her game in recent times. She struck 11 boundaries and finished off in style with consecutive sixes off the final two deliveries of the Proteas’ innings.
Considering the platform Wolvaardt and opening partner Sune Luus (23 off 23 balls) had provided their team with a 73-run stand for the first wicket, the eventual target would have left the home side feeling they may have left 20 to 30 runs out in the middle.
That was primarily due to the middle-order’s persistent struggles against the Indian spinners. Five wickets fell for just 43 runs between the 11th and 18th overs with spin duo Shree Charani (2/22) and Deepti Sharma (2/37) picking up four wickets between them, while seamer Renuka Singh also delivered an economical spell of 2/21.
The shift in tactics in moving Wolvaardt back up top has certainly reaped dividends, but it may have come at the expense of her former opening partner Tazmin Brits. The 35-year-old has not been able to settle into her new role at No 3, where she averages 21.5 in comparison to 31.63 when she opens, and it may ultimately cost her a place in the Proteas T20 World Cup squad when veterans Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk return from injury.
It could lead to a shootout between Brits and Anneke Bosch, who too has not been able to show any form of consistency since returning to the squad after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, for the remaining specialist batter’s position in the 15-player squad.
Coach Mandla Mashimbyi will also be well pleased with the way his bowling attack has responded in this series after a disappointing tour to New Zealand recently.
After electing to defend a total for the first time in the series, the bowlers responded by picking up wickets regularly throughout India's innings.
Middle-order batter Bharti Fulmali fought a lone battle with 40 off 30 balls with the remainder having no answer to the pressure exerted by the Proteas bowling unit. Nonkululeko Mlaba is certainly back to her best with the left-arm spinner bravely going slower and slower to gift the ball plenty of air before gripping off the surface and turning vigorously.
South Africa 155/6
Wolvaardt 92*, Luus 23, Singh 2/21, Charani 2/22, Sharma 2/37
India 132/8
Mlaba 2/15, De Klerk 2/26, Marie-Marx 1/12
Proteas won by 23 runs, and win five-match series 4-1