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Punam Raut ton in vain as South Africa clinch series
The win gave SA's stand-in captain Laura Wolvaardt the series 3-1.
Even India’s best innings score of the series – 266/4 thanks to a Punam Raut hundred – wasn’t enough to stop the South Africans from pulling off a convincing victory at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana International Stadium here on Sunday. The win also gave SA's stand-in captain Laura Wolvaardt the series 3-1.
Each of South Africa’s top four struck fifties, including Wolvaardt (53), as the Proteas women pulled off their greatest ODI run-chase in history – a confidence booster if any as the team prepares for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
”It’s a massive team effort,” Wolvaardt said later. That effort began with 116-run opening stand between her and Lizelle Lee (69). Though they departed in quick succession, the innings was seamlessly carried forward by No.3 Lara Goodall (59) and Mignon du Preez (61). ”We wanted to be attacking against the Indian bowlers and the way our top order performed was something very special,” she added.
The loss gave Mithali Raj’s side a reality check, especially to the bowlers who failed to stop the South Africans despite having runs to defend. In the absence of veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami, who missed out due to an injury to her hand, the bowling attack wasn’t a match for this formidable South African side.
“Honestly, even a total of 280 plus would have not been sufficient to defend with such a bowling attack. South Africa are in a good form and they are coming here with a series win against Pakistan at home,” skipper Mithali Raj said in the post-match presentation. “We missed the experience of Jhulan in the game and in terms of our spin bowling department, we couldn’t make things right. We need to correct our mistakes in the future series.”
The Indian batters fared a whole lot better than their bowling counterpart, even after being invited to bat first. Opener Smriti Mandhana was out early for 10, yet India didn’t look back thanks to a fabulous century by young Raut, who built the innings with crucial partnerships with Mithali (103-run stand for the third wicket) and her deputy Harmanpreet Kaur (88-run stand for the fourth wicket).Raut, who ha
s been in fine form with two half-centuries previously in this series, went on to score her third ODI hundred. Her unbeaten knock of 104 came from just 123 balls and gave India hope of a comeback during the break. But that hope was snuffed out soon after.
BRIEF SCORES
India 266/4 in 50 overs (Punam Raut 104, Harmanpreet Kaur 54, Mithali Raj 45, Priya Punia 32, Tumi Sekhukhune 2/63) lost to South Africa 269/3 in 48.4 overs (Lizelle Lee 69, Mignon du Preez 61, Lara Goodall 59*, Laura Wolvaardt 53, Marizanne Kapp 22*, Harmanpreet Kaur 1/38).
