Johannesburg — The Proteas concluded a poor series against England with another ragged display in the final T20 International that will leave plenty of doubts about their chances of winning a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Missing two senior players in Sune Luus, who was said to be “unwell,” and Shabnim Ismail, with a back niggle, the South Africans, led by Chloe Tryon, started brightly. Left arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, who replaced Ismail, claimed the wicket of the dangerous Sophia Dunkley first ball thanks to a good low catch at point by Laura Wolvaardt.
However the inconsistent pattern of South Africa’s performance was summed up in the next over, as Masabatha Klaas struggled to find the right lines and lengths, and was smashed for four boundaries by 17 year old Alice Capsey playing in just her second match. Mlaba returned and with the first ball of her second over — the fifth of the innings — had Capsey caught at mid-off by Tryon for 25.
Nat Sciver, again captaining England while Heather Knight sat out with a hip injury, shared a 45-run partnership for the third wicket with Danni Wyatt, but the pair were dismissed off back-to-back deliveries which briefly gave the South Africans some control.
Mlaba, who bowled Sciver, finished with career-best figures of 3/22, while Tryon also impressed taking 1/22.
But having built pressure, Klaas, who also dropped a simple catch, then bowled a very poor last over, with full tosses and leg stump half volleys which Sophie Eccelstone was only too happy to tuck into, as she scored 26 runs that included three fours and two sixes. Klaas conceded 62 runs in her four overs, with England batters striking 11 fours and those two Eccelstone sixes off her bowling.
South Africa’s pursuit of that target lacked any rhythm, Tazmiin Brits, who flew to England when Marizanne Kapp returned home for family reasons, and was called up to the starting eleven to replace Luus, made 59 off 57 balls, hitting six fours in the process. While she’ll feel better about herself after struggling at the World Cup and then against Ireland, she didn’t score quickly enough.
That created pressure on the other batters, and England took advantage thereof with another of the teenage starlets, Freya Kemp, who made her debut on Monday, picking up two wickets.
South Africa will have a lot of thinking to do in the next few days ahead of the Commonwealth Games. With their focus mainly on the T20 World Cup which will be hosted in South Africa next year, the Proteas may not view the Games as a priority. However, they risk embarrassment in that event, unless they come up with a better batting strategy — which may include moving a few senior players up the order — and improve their fielding.
South Africa open their Commonwealth Games campaign against New Zealand on Saturday.
SCORECARD
England 176/6
South Africa 138/6
England won by 38 runs
IOL Sport