By Ongama Gcwabe
Gqeberha – The Proteas Women’s hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 Cup suffered a massive blow when they were beaten by six wickets by Australia at St. George’s Park.
The Proteas’ fate is now in the hands of New Zealand, who need to beat Sri Lanka on Sunday at Boland Park in Paarl to keep the South Africans in the hunt. The Proteas must also beat Bangladesh on Tuesday by a healthy margin to qualify of New Zealand can do them a favour.
Australia sent the Proteas in to bat. Having bowled Sri Lanka out cheaply two days prior, the Aussies had every right to stick to their winning formula.
Tazmin Brits and Laura Woolvaardt, however, stuck it out but the latter just could not get going. Eventually Woolvaardt lost her wicket after the team’s first 50 opening partnership of the tournament.
Australia bowling attack frustrated the hosts and something had to give after a relatively quiet first ten overs.
Brits (44), Marizanne Kapp (0) and Chloe Tryon (1) lost their wickets leaving all the work to Luus and Nadine de Klerk with the score at 97-4 with three overs left in the innings.
The Australian attack gave nothing away and conceded 27 runs off the last four overs, leaving the South Africans scratching their heads with a total of 124/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
Nonkululeko Mlaba (1/29) and Kapp (2/21) led the fightback foer the Proteas with the ball. Mlaba accounted for Meg Lanning who’s attempted sweep shot led to her demise in the sixth over.
Kapp got the ball moving and eventually got the outside edge of Ellyse Perry’s bat and Tryon did the rest at slip. Kapp removed Beth Mooney in her next over and boosted the hopes of the Gqeberha crowd.
However, Tahlia McGrath’s 57 alongside Ashleigh Gardner’s unbeaten 28 wrapped the chase with nine deliveries left in the match.
