SA set West Indies below-par winning target in second ODI at Wanderers

The Momentum Proteas set the West Indies Women a below-par target of 161 to win the rain-reduced second ODI match at the Wanderers on Monday.

In a match of 41 overs a side, the tourists from the Caribbean won the toss and asked their hosts to bat first under overcast skies, with the start having been delayed by rain for two hours.

Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits had a modest start for SA, scoring just 11 runs in the opening five overs.

The stylish Wolvaardt accelerated in the next over as she hit Shamilia Connell (2/24) for 19 runs in the sixth over.

Wolvaardt (25 off 49 balls) and Brits (25 off 55) put on an opening partnership of 50 runs from 91 balls.

But SA lost three quick wickets in three successive overs, with Wolvaardt the first to go as she was caught at gully by Shakera Selman in the 17th over.

Laura Goodall came in and lasted four balls for her single run and Brits followed soon after to leave SA 58/3 in the 19th over.

Stand-in captain Sune Luus and Mignon du Preez teamed up for a partnership of 33 runs as they kept the scoreboard ticking in the middle overs in the face of brilliant bowling.

Connell, Shakera Selman, Hayle Matthews, Karishma Ramharack and the brilliant Chinelle Henry all helped themselves to two wickets apiece. 

Du Preez will be disappointed that she managed just nine runs from the 20 balls. Her wicket left SA tottering at 91/4.

When Luus (46 off 55 balls), another key player who needed to bat on, was dismissed with nine overs of the innings remaining, her reaction was telling as she knew that her team was staring down the barrel at 120/5.

Chloe Tryon (18 off 21) and Sinalo Jafta (14 off 16) tried to push SA to a competitive total but the bowling was too good for them, with the tail of Shabnim Ismail (0 off six balls), Masabata Klaas (3 off 7), Ayabonga Khaka (4 off 9) and Nonkululeko Mlaba (6 off 8) not offering much.

Henry was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies with two wickets for 32 runs from her nine allotted overs while Connell, hit for 19 runs in her third over, pulled it back to finish with two scalps for 22 runs in eight overs.

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