South Africa Women beat India by 5 wickets in the final of three sets; hitters disappoint in top-flight clash
The dismal batting performance in the top clash cost the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side as they could post a meager 109 for four after opting to strike first.
The batter Protea Tryon (57 steps on 32 balls) did exactly what all the others failed by counter-attacking with great enthusiasm, hitting six fours and two sixes, to chase a meager 110-point target with two overs to resell.
What made Tryon’s innings extra special was the degree of difficulty faced by all the other hitters due to the slow lane.
Indian spinners Deepti Sharma, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Sneh Rana did their best to offset a confusing batting approach from Harleen Deol but the target was never defensible despite South Africa reducing to 47 for 4 and subsequently at 66 for 5 at the start of the 14th. .
On a pitch where the ball was off the bat, Tryon did the exact opposite of what Deol did. The Indians paid a high price for the large number of dot balls consumed by Deol.
“The body is fine. It will get better with rest. We had a good performance. Unfortunately today we couldn’t beat the way we wanted and the bowlers did well,” the captain said later. Indian Harmanpreet Kaur.
Tryon planted his front foot and showed top-notch punching power, repeatedly targeting the arc between the square leg and the center wicket.
Indian women party. Image: ICC
In the end, the win came much easier than had been thought as the stocky Proteas hitter got a lucky six when Pooja Vastrakar dropped a deep square leg cart to offer to the opposition of easy winning races.
Earlier, Deol’s laborious 46 from 56 on a slow lane did more harm than good as India only managed 109 despite losing four wickets. With elegant Smriti Mandhana fired for nothing and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (21) also back in the dugout just as she was preparing, Deol’s effort was below par as she played a large number of point balls, which increased the pressure on Deepti Sharma (16 off 14 balls), who also couldn’t do the heavy lifting.
Worse still, India made no effort to force the pace and Deol happily played the sheet anchor until they lost their wicket in the final.
For South Africa, left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba (2/16 in 4 overs) was brilliant in the Powerplay as a frustrated Mandhana was knocked down after failing to open his account in the previous seven deliveries. She charged onto the track and played all over a delivery that bothered the leg stump.
Another opener Jemimah Rodrigues (11 from 18 balls) and Deol couldn’t leave the blocks against Mlaba and seasoned point guard Shabnim Ismail (0/9 from 3 overs). Between the South African duo, they kicked 25 point balls with India scoring just 19 points in six Powerplay overs.
Rodrigues and Harmanpreet were both out when they were beaten by an outside turn from Mlaba and leg spinner Sune Luus with keeper Sinalo Jafta performing a smart stump.
Often the ball did not arrive at the bat and the Indian batters did not have the rhythm required for the deliveries. Such was their fate that the boundary count in 20 overs was not even in double digits. It was only nine o’clock. The total number of point balls was 57 (9.3 cumulative overs) with the most consumed by Deol.
(With PTI inputs)
South Africa Women beat India by 5 wickets in the final of three sets; hitters disappoint in top-flight clash
