Sune Luus and Miane Smit lead Proteas Women to triumph against Ireland

EAST LONDON - Experience and youth combined perfectly to power the Proteas Women to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Ireland at Buffalo Park on Saturday.

Former captain Sune Luus (66 not out, 72 balls, 6x4) and 20-year-old Miane Smit (56 not out, 70 balls, 7x4) compiled an unbroken 125-run partnership for the fourth wicket to see the home team over the line.

Luus was the first to bring up her half-century before Smit’s reached her maiden ODI fifty in fine style with a powerful pull shot to the boundary on the leg-side.

Smit’s smile upon reaching the milestone was something to behold as all the hard work back in Bloemfontein has finally paid off.

The youngster certainly benefited from having Luus at the other end as the pair had come together after the Proteas had lost a couple of wickets in quick succession.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt looked like her golden self in her breezy 31 off just 24 balls. The skipper looked to be playing on a different surface to all the rest of the batters, but her innings was prematurely halted when she was given out on controversial circumstances.

Wolvaardt smashed a full toss into the ground before the ball flew to Cara Murray at slip off seamer Orla Prendergast’s bowling. Upon first take it looked a simple not out decision, but yet after sending it upstairs for a review, the third umpire Kerrin Klaaste sent the Proteas skipper on her way. 

Wolvaardt was as bemused in the middle as everyone else at Buffalo Park, particularly as Klaaste opted not to request any additional angles before making her decision. 

The skipper’s dismissal stemmed the run-rate significantly before Tazmin Brits found her rhythm. Brits had missed the preceding T20I series against the Irish, but was soon looking like the batter that had scored four hundreds in five matches earlier this year.

She was particularly aggressive against the spinners, striking the ball sweetly down the ground for a couple of boundaries.

Brits found a capable partner in Lara Goodall, and the left-hander joined the party with a couple of crisp boundaries on both sides of the wicket.

The pair added 41 for the second wicket, but the Proteas top-order followed the same script as the Irish innings as they lost wickets just when the batters were well set.

Goodall was caught and bowled for 20, but it was Brits that was livid with herself when she hit Murray straight down the throat of Laura Delaney at long-off. 

That was Ireland’s last success though as Luus and Smit put together a record fourth-wicket partnership for the Proteas Women at Buffalo Park.

Earlier, the home team’s bowling unit delivered a disciplined bowling performance to restrict Ireland to 209/7 in the first ODI.

On a sluggish surface, left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba was the star performer with figures of 3/43. Mlaba utilised all her experience of playing at the World Cup on subcontinent pitches, as she gave the ball air to extract any turn that was on offer. 

She was well-supported by medium-pacer Tumi Sekhukhune, who chipped in with 2/32.

Sekhukhune had brought about the initial breakthrough after Ireland’s openers Sarah Forbes and Gaby Lewis started well with a 45-run opening stand in the first Powerplay. 

But what ultimately developed into a theme that carried throughout the innings, Ireland lost a wicket just when they seemed settled with Lewis bowled for 14.

Forbes (42, 71 balls, 4x4), though, found another solid partner in Amy Hunter as the pair added a further 48 runs for the third wicket. Hunter showed off her innovative batting skills by utilising the ramp shot to good effect. 

Unfortunately for the Irish, Forbes was caught by Goodall off Smit just when the innings seemed to gain some momentum.

Orla Prendergast (28) and Laura Delany (21) also got starts but could not really move the run-rate along as Mlaba and Sekhukhune tightened the screws during the middle period.

It was only until lower-order batter Rebecca Stokell (39 not out off 48 balls) walked to the crease that Ireland could harbour thoughts of passing 200, which they eventually did in the final over, but it was never going to be enough for the World Cup runners-up.

1st ODI

Ireland: 209/7 (Forbes 42, Stokell 39*, Hunter 32, Mlaba 3/43)

South Africa: 211/3 (Luus 66*, Smit 56*, Murray 2/34)

South Africa won by 7 wickets