AUCKLAND – The Proteas Women bowlers produced a powerful performance to cruise to an eight-wicket win, securing a 2-0 series win in the One-Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand Women at Eden Park in Auckland on Monday.
The victory was set-up by some top pace bowling from Marizanne Kapp, who along with Shabnim Ismail were miserly with the new ball. The latter, despite not taking a wicket conceded just 10 runs from her eight overs, while Kapp claimed figures of 4/29 from her 8 overs, and Ayabonga Khakha continued her impressive return from injury with figures of 2/21.
As in the opening ODI, when the Proteas Women stopped the White Ferns from dominating with the bat with only veteran Suzie Bates contributing with a respectable 38 off 60 balls, the entire attack was clinical.
However, the chase did not start well with the ever-reliable Laura Wolvaardt departing without troubling the opposition after being caught behind by Martin off the bowling of Sophie Devine.
Instead of crumbling under pressure with the score at 15/1, Lizelle Lee was her usual destructive self with five boundaries and a maximum in a quickfire 38 off 43 deliveries.
The dismissal of Lee in the 13th over was never likely to challenge Proteas - especially not once Sune Luus and Mignon du Preez had made a buccaneering end, with the third wicket partnership amassing 50 runs in 52 balls, (SE Luus 20, M du Preez 31) to lead the Proteas Women to a comfortable victory.
Shake hands time here at the @edenparknz Outer Oval, @OfficialCSA take the game by eight wickets and the series 2-0, well played 👏🏽 #NZvSA #cricketnation pic.twitter.com/x0h5dyDQkS
— WHITE FERNS (@WHITE_FERNS) January 27, 2020
The added significance of this victory for South Africa is that it takes the team up to fourth in the Women’s ODI Championship standings, which runs from 2017-20. The top five of the eight competing countries in the Championship qualify automatically for the ICC 2021 World Cup, with the remaining three entering the qualification tournament.
The series will now move to Seddon Park in Hamilton for the third and final ODI on Thursday.