Displaying large chunks of the ruthlessness that coach Mandla Mashimbyi is seeking, the Proteas Women delivered a powerhouse batting display to defeat Ireland by 74 runs in the second one-day cricket international at St George’s Park on Tuesday.
On a record-breaking day, their 375/6 in 50 overs was their highest total in ODI cricket.
It helped them seal the three-match series after their seven-wicket triumph in the opener in East London on Saturday.
The final total beat their previous best of 337/5, also against Ireland in 2017, and though the visitors lost a wicket in the first over, they produced a response full of grit and courage before being dismissed for 301 with 14 balls remaining.
At the centre of that total was allrounder Orla Prendergast, who plundered a superb 97 off 86 balls before perishing to a catch in the deep as she tried to keep up with the rising run-rate.
Her dismissal signalled the end of victory hopes for the Irish, for whom Amy Hunter (66 off 64 balls) and Leah Paul (36 off 36 balls) also excelled at the crease.
Generally, though, it was a day dominated by the SA batters, led by impressive captain Laura Wolvaardt, who compiled her 12th ODI century, while Sune Luus (114 off 112 balls) and Dane van Niekerk (88 off 47 balls) added to the batting blitz against an outgunned Irish attack.
In the early stages, there was a measure of parity after Wolvaardt decided to bat first, with the Ireland opening pair of Prendergast and Jane Maguire doing a reasonable job of containment.
The visitors picked up the wickets of Tazmin Brits and Lara Goodall to grab the home side’s attention at 59/2 after 11 overs.
By this time, though, Wolvaardt was already starting to show her fluent strokeplay and when she was joined by Luus they quickly took the game away from the visiting side.
The Irish back-up bowlers were not able to deliver the penetration and precision needed to contain two of the best batters in world cricket.
Wolvaardt survived a run out chance on 56, which proved an expensive miss as she marched imperiously to another outstanding century.
In the end, she faced only 111 balls for her 124 (19 fours) and added a match-winning 179 in just 26 overs with Luus for the third wicket.
Luus proved equally proficient at finding the gaps and that put the Irish bowlers under constant pressure which they found difficult to manage.
The No 4 batter went to her second ODI century, and her career best, when she reached 100 off 106 balls.
She was eventually dismissed in the penultimate over for 114 off 113 balls with 13 fours and a six.
As outstanding as those innings were, it was Van Niekerk who provided the most exciting display as she flayed the Irish attack to all parts of the field.
Given a licence to thrill, the bowlers simply had no answer to her powerful strokeplay as she scored all around the field.
The 32-year-old, who had been out of international cricket for four years, quickly slipped back into her best role, though her approach of living on the edge did offer some opportunities.
Luckily for Van Niekerk, the fielding became a bit ragged and she was dropped three times — at 28, 30 and 72 — during her blockbusting innings.
Nonetheless, her 88, with 13 fours and three sixes, was a vivid display of her skills.
There was no doubt of her emotions and commitment to the cause as she punched the air in pleasure when she reached her half-century.
Showing the hard edge coach Mashimbyi desires, she and Luus pounded 117 in 11 overs for the fourth wicket.
The Herald
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