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Harleen maiden fifty in vain as SA win first T20
A clean sweep in the ODI series (3-0) and a 2-1 win in the T20Is also provided South Africa the base for playing spin in India.
Good home work always makes a difference. Sune Luus-led South Africa had polished their skills against spin bowling while playing Pakistan at home early this year. A clean sweep in the ODI series (3-0) and a 2-1 win in the T20Is also provided South Africa the base for playing spin in India.
Their 4-1 win in the ODI series against India also demonstrated their sound batting technique against one of the top spin attacks on sub-continent pitches. Barring left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad (8 wickets) none, including leggie Poonam Yadav and Deepti Sharma, could make an impression on the Proteas batters.
The visitors continued to dominate Indian spinners as they beat the hosts by eight wickets in the first of the three-match T20I series at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Luus led from the front, helping South Africa chase down India’s total of 130 with the experienced Anneka Bosch. South Africa reached 133/2 with five balls to spare.
Even after opener Lizelle Lee was caught off Arundhati Reddy early in the game, Luus and Bosch kept the scoreboard ticking at a brisk pace, stitching a 90-run partnership for the second wicket. Though leggie Simran Deol caught and bowled Luus (43- 49b, 5x4, 1x6) off the last ball of the 16th over, Bosch and Laura Wolvaardt carried the visitors to victory.
Bosch hit a career best 66* off 48 balls (9x4, 1x6), never allowing the Indian bowlers to dictate terms. She finished it off with a boundary off Reddy.
With skipper Harmanpret Kaur sitting out due to an injury, India never found the going easy against a disciplined South African bowling attack after being asked to bat. Stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana (11) struck two boundaries before lobbing an easy catch to Bosch off Shabnim Ismail. She finished with 3/14.
India’s T20 batting mainstay Shafali Verma (23- 22b, 2x4, 1x6) tried to accelerate the scoring only to be stumped by ‘keeper Sinalo Jafta off left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba.
Harleen Deol helped India cross the 100-run mark, hitting a fine half-century (52-47b, 6x4). The 22-year-old batter from Punjab didn’t let the South Africa bowlers tie her down as she scored her first half-century playing in her seventh match. She was eventually caught at mid-on trying to clear the fielder off Bosch and Arundhati Reddy (0) too got out in a similar fashion the next ball.
South African bowlers, especially Ismail, didn’t let India batters freedom, not giving much room to play their shots. Young opener Shafali Verma (23-22b, 2x4, 1x6) though looked in a good form, missed left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba’s away delivery to be stumped.
Jemimah Rodrigues, who failed as opener in the ODI series defeat, played attacking shots, scoring a 27-ball 30 (3x4). She too fell to Bosch’s slower one, caught by Ismail at deep mid-on. Back-to-back wickets off consecutive deliveries by Ismail in the last over further emphasised South Africa’s dominance.
The second T20 will be played here on Sunday.
BRIEF SCORES
India 130/6 in 20 overs (Harleen Deol 52, Jemmimah Rodrigues 30, Shafali Verma 23, Shabnim Ismail 3/14, Anneke Bosch 2/11); South Africa 133/2 in 19.1 overs (Anneke Bosch 66*, Sune Luus 43, Arundhati Reddy 1/20). SA won by 8 wickets.
