MATCH REPORT: South Africa v West Indies
South Africa took a significant step towards World Cup semi-final qualification, humiliating the West Indies as they bowled them out for just 48 runs at Leicester CCC.
South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl on a slightly chilly morning at Grace Road, fielding an unchanged side. Meanwhile West Indies made 3 changes from the side that lost to Australia - bringing in all-rounder Kyshona Knight, and handing debuts to 16-year-old fast bowler Qiana Joseph and opening batsman Reniece Boyce.
Hayley Matthews was the first wicket to fall - after swatting Ismail for 4 in her opening over, the South African quick got her revenge in her next over as the West Indian opener played around a delivery coming in to her legs and was hit on the back pad, given out LBW by ex-England umpire Sue Redfern.
This brought Stafanie Taylor in at 3 who went following a similar pattern - after timing Ismail for 4 through midwicket, she was then then clean bowled the very next ball, putting the West Indies in early difficulties at 10-2.
Boyce on debut was dropped by a diving Laura Wolvaardt off a mistimed slog - a tough chance coming in from deep third man; but it didn't matter as she was dismissed soon afterwards - caught and bowled on the juggle by Kapp, running a full 15 yards from her follow-through to mid off.
Kyshona Knight followed the very next ball, LBW; and after putting a rank hat-trick ball behind her, Kapp then sent all 3 of Dottin's stumps half way back to Pretoria, to leave the Windies 16-5.
The change of bowling saw Daniels getting dangerous late swing again, whilst Khaka, steaming in from the pavillion end, had Merissa Aguilleira playing and missing, as the West Indies batted out maiden after maiden - 10 of them in an innings that lasted just 26 overs - just to survive, with the overall run-rate briefly falling to under 2 at one stage.
By the time Merissa Aguilleira was bowled around her legs trying to sweep Dane van Niekerk, she had made just 3 off 38 balls... which by the standards of the day might be considered a success!
Next in, Shanel Daley lasted just 3 balls, the left-hander also dismissed trying to sweep van Niekerk, getting a leading edge which was caught at short fine leg by Laura Wolvaardt.
With 7 down already, Marizanne Kapp was brought back to help wrap things up, and immediately disposed of Afy Fletcher - yorked for a duck.
Chedean Nation, after resisting for 53 balls, finally fell popping up a catch to Kapp at midwicket off van Niekerk for 26. The skipper then wrapped things up in the 26th over, trapping Qiana Joseph LBW, to finish with figures of 4-0. (Yes... no runs... and she still wasn't Player of the Match!!)
The West Indies had been bowled out for just 48, including 5 ducks - the 17th lowest total in women's ODI history, and their lowest ever total in World Cups.
After a quick turnaround, openers Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee played their natural games - which in Lee's case meant coming out positively. When Lee was dropped on 7 by Stafanie Taylor, and then Wolvaardt was dropped by Anisa Mohammed off an edge to slip the very next ball, things were going from bad to worse for the Windies.
After just 4 overs, South Africa were half way there already at 26-0; and they duly reached their target without loss - Wolvaardt (19*) hitting the winning runs in the 7th over, with Lee not out on 29.
Marizanne Kapp was named Player of the Match for her 4 wickets for 14.
Afterwards South African captain Dane van Niekerk was understandably delighted:
"I couldn't have scripted it any better - we had our plans coming into the game and it worked out to the 'T'. We had a very good warm-up game against them but you can't always look at the past - they are a very talented, destructive team, but it was a world class bowling performance by the two openers."
Meanwhile Hayley Matthews all-but accepted that the odds were now stacked against the West Indies qualifying for the semis, but denied that the side have a confidence problem:
"South Africa have a very good bowling line-up - a lot of strong players that are capable of taking wickets - but we just need to execute our skills a bit better. I wouldn't say anyone is really struggling [for confidence] we just didn't have a good start the first couple of games. Even if we can't qualify, we want to take respect out of the next couple of games and if we win four games then we can still qualify, so we just have to fight as hard as possible and hope things go our way."
South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl on a slightly chilly morning at Grace Road, fielding an unchanged side. Meanwhile West Indies made 3 changes from the side that lost to Australia - bringing in all-rounder Kyshona Knight, and handing debuts to 16-year-old fast bowler Qiana Joseph and opening batsman Reniece Boyce.
Hayley Matthews was the first wicket to fall - after swatting Ismail for 4 in her opening over, the South African quick got her revenge in her next over as the West Indian opener played around a delivery coming in to her legs and was hit on the back pad, given out LBW by ex-England umpire Sue Redfern.
This brought Stafanie Taylor in at 3 who went following a similar pattern - after timing Ismail for 4 through midwicket, she was then then clean bowled the very next ball, putting the West Indies in early difficulties at 10-2.
Boyce on debut was dropped by a diving Laura Wolvaardt off a mistimed slog - a tough chance coming in from deep third man; but it didn't matter as she was dismissed soon afterwards - caught and bowled on the juggle by Kapp, running a full 15 yards from her follow-through to mid off.
Kyshona Knight followed the very next ball, LBW; and after putting a rank hat-trick ball behind her, Kapp then sent all 3 of Dottin's stumps half way back to Pretoria, to leave the Windies 16-5.
The change of bowling saw Daniels getting dangerous late swing again, whilst Khaka, steaming in from the pavillion end, had Merissa Aguilleira playing and missing, as the West Indies batted out maiden after maiden - 10 of them in an innings that lasted just 26 overs - just to survive, with the overall run-rate briefly falling to under 2 at one stage.
By the time Merissa Aguilleira was bowled around her legs trying to sweep Dane van Niekerk, she had made just 3 off 38 balls... which by the standards of the day might be considered a success!
Next in, Shanel Daley lasted just 3 balls, the left-hander also dismissed trying to sweep van Niekerk, getting a leading edge which was caught at short fine leg by Laura Wolvaardt.
With 7 down already, Marizanne Kapp was brought back to help wrap things up, and immediately disposed of Afy Fletcher - yorked for a duck.
Chedean Nation, after resisting for 53 balls, finally fell popping up a catch to Kapp at midwicket off van Niekerk for 26. The skipper then wrapped things up in the 26th over, trapping Qiana Joseph LBW, to finish with figures of 4-0. (Yes... no runs... and she still wasn't Player of the Match!!)
The West Indies had been bowled out for just 48, including 5 ducks - the 17th lowest total in women's ODI history, and their lowest ever total in World Cups.
After a quick turnaround, openers Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee played their natural games - which in Lee's case meant coming out positively. When Lee was dropped on 7 by Stafanie Taylor, and then Wolvaardt was dropped by Anisa Mohammed off an edge to slip the very next ball, things were going from bad to worse for the Windies.
After just 4 overs, South Africa were half way there already at 26-0; and they duly reached their target without loss - Wolvaardt (19*) hitting the winning runs in the 7th over, with Lee not out on 29.
Marizanne Kapp was named Player of the Match for her 4 wickets for 14.
Afterwards South African captain Dane van Niekerk was understandably delighted:
"I couldn't have scripted it any better - we had our plans coming into the game and it worked out to the 'T'. We had a very good warm-up game against them but you can't always look at the past - they are a very talented, destructive team, but it was a world class bowling performance by the two openers."
Meanwhile Hayley Matthews all-but accepted that the odds were now stacked against the West Indies qualifying for the semis, but denied that the side have a confidence problem:
"South Africa have a very good bowling line-up - a lot of strong players that are capable of taking wickets - but we just need to execute our skills a bit better. I wouldn't say anyone is really struggling [for confidence] we just didn't have a good start the first couple of games. Even if we can't qualify, we want to take respect out of the next couple of games and if we win four games then we can still qualify, so we just have to fight as hard as possible and hope things go our way."
“Hayley Matthews all-but accepted that the odds were now stacked against the West Indies qualifying for the semis”
ReplyDeleteThe West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan no longer have qualification under their own control, in other words, even if one of these three teams were to win all of their remaining 4 matches they still could not, at this point in time, be guaranteed qualification. Put another way, there are combinations of results that leave the given team on 8 pts but with at least 4 other teams having 9 points or more. (This doesn’t mean they can’t qualify of course).
Interestingly, and doubtless little solace to NZ, but there are combinations of results that would allow NZ to qualify with just 5 points (ie 4 other teams having 4 pts or less). Same with South Arica; they could lose all their remaining matches and still qualify without even needing NRR.
Meanwhile South Africa would place themselves in an extremely strong position by beating England, not least because England would then have to beat one of New Zealand or Australia to have any chance of getting ahead of South Africa.
Unless there are some more losses to the weather, the only team South Africa can use their massive NRR against is ……………… NZ. Now that is little solace to NZ.
This was SA's best bowling performance I've seen. Given how they got smacked around the park by India in their recent series, will we be being seeing its like again? England will be hoping not. SA do have a great attack but can their batting line up deliver the runs they'll need to beat the top four sides?
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit more sympathetic to the notion of WI just being very ordinary today...the conspiracy theorists are already mooting the idea that these poor results are a deliberate protest from the players to the board and all the internal problems WI cricket currently has. Nonsense surely, but just goes to show how some people think. Why certain players like Cooper aren't in the WI squad, who knows, but why would you bring a debutant into a game this important? We know this Leics pitch is a belter because England scored 377 on it, and SA had few problems knocking off the runs.