South Africa crush West Indies Women to claim series

CAVE HILL, Barbados (CMC):

IN A one-sided series decider at the Three Ws Oval yesterday, South Africa Women delivered a commanding performance to defeat West Indies by 166 runs (DLS method), securing a 2-1 One-Day International series victory.

After rain reduced the visitors’ innings to 45.5 overs, South Africa posted a formidable 278-6 after being asked to take the first strike, powered by a brilliant century from Tazmin Brits and a composed half-century from captain Laura Wolvaardt.

The West Indies, set a revised target of 288 in 39 overs, crumbled to 121 all out in just 27.5 overs, with only Aaliyah Alleyne, 32, and Jahzara Claxton, 43, offering brief resistance.

Earlier, South Africa’s openers laid a punishing foundation, with Brits and Wolvaardt adding a masterful 184 for the first wicket.

The inexperienced Windies attack had few answers, as Brits’ aggressive 101 knock, featuring eight fours and four sixes, set the tone, while Wolvaardt anchored the innings with a fluent 75.

Just after getting to her century, Brits went to Afy Fletcher after facing 91 balls and hitting eight fours and four sixes.

Not too long after, Fletcher was in business once again, as she rattled the stumps of Wolvaardt to peg back the Proteas at 200 for two in the 31st over.

Fletcher seemed to have found her groove, as in the same over, she also bolwed Nondumiso Shangase for eight.

Skipper Hayley Matthews then got in on the act, as she snared the wicket of Sune Luus for four to leave the contest in a more respectable state at 207 for four, before rain took the players off the park.

On the resumption, Marizanne Kapp’s unbeaten 34 provided late momentum before rain intervened once again. Fletcher was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3-53.

The chase began disastrously for the hosts, as they lost four wickets for just 10 runs inside three overs. Captain Hayley Matthews was the first to go for eight, and her precious wicket triggered a dramatic top-order collapse that left the Windies reeling at 40-6.

Seamer Masabata Klaas was the main early destroyer, sending back Matthews, Qiana Joseph for one, and Chinelle Henry for a duck in a devastating first spell.

It took some resiliant batting from Alleyne and Claxton to briefly revive hopes with a 65-run stand, but once they departed, the innings folded swiftly.

Klaas finished with 4-25, and she was well-supported by Nonkululeko Mlaba, 2-25, and Annerie Dercksen, 2-1.

The defeat marked a harsh end to the West Indies’ hopes of a home series win, however, captain Matthews was pleased that some of the young players showed fight, even in defeat.

“It’s always going to be tough when you have a young group around, but these girls are here to learn, and I think they’re eager to learn. I think we can still take a lot of positives from certain moments within the game. I think the way (Claxton) came about and batted today was beautiful. Something that probably a lot of people didn’t expect from her down at seven or eight. It just shows that the young ones within the group have a lot of potential, and they just need to be nurtured well.”

The teams will now turn their attention to the three-match T20 series, which starts on Friday.