SA vs ENG [W] 2024/25, South Africa Ladies vs England Ladies third ODI, Potchefstroom Match Report, December 11, 2024

England 153 for 4 (Beaumont 65*, Jones 49*) beat South Africa 233 for 8 (Wolvaardt 61) by six wickets – DLS

When Kapp then bowled Heather Knight with a snorter in her third over, England had been floundering at 25 for 3. However Beaumont, showcasing the even temperament that also makes her such a prized asset in ODI and Check cricket, refused to be cowed by a climbing run-rate. She discovered key help, initially from Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 22 from 16 balls, and latterly Jones, and the consequence was successfully sealed when Kapp’s remaining two overs had been repelled with the asking fee already dipping under a run a ball.

The win handed England a 2-1 win within the ODI leg of their multi-format tour, having misplaced the opening match by the identical six-wicket margin in Kimberley final week, and put the seal on their general sequence win forward of Sunday’s Check in Bloemfontein, having already taken the T20I leg in a 3-0 whitewash.

Their job was not helped, nonetheless, by a troubling incident within the opening over, when Cross – following via after bowling her fifth ball – slumped to the turf in seen ache. She was helped from the sphere by the physio, with Alice Capsey bowling the ultimate ball of her over, and was later revealed to have suffered a again spasm, which can go away her function within the Check match in some doubt.

England had already chosen to relaxation their quickest bowler, Lauren Filer, after her telling breakthroughs within the second ODI, which left their seam-bowling duties within the palms of Lauren Bell and Nat Sciver-Brunt. Wolvaardt took the initiative within the first ten overs, including 50 for the primary wicket with Lara Goodall, one in every of 4 adjustments to South Africa’s line-up.

Bell, nonetheless, made the primary breakthrough within the remaining over of the powerplay, when Goodall lofted a size ball to mid-on simply moments after a agency clip for 4 off her pads. And never for the primary time on this sequence, South Africa had been culpable of their subsequent slide.

Anneka Bosch, one other change to the line-up, grew into her function with three lusty hits down the bottom earlier than driving too loosely via the road off Capsey – on whom Heather Knight had been compelled to rely in Cross’s absence. One over later, South Africa’s sturdy begin was trying wobbly at 107 for 3, as Sophie Ecclestone skidded a flat trajectory into Wolvaardt’s pad, and extracted the on-field lbw verdict regardless of ball-tracker confirming it was a marginal leg-sided name.

On 14, Nadine de Klerk reacted too slowly to Kapp’s name for a fast single into the covers, and was crushed by Bouchier’s sharp return to Jones, whereas Annerie Dercksen’s responsible look on the umpire arguably sealed her destiny when Charlie Dean pinned her lbw for 13 – one other determination that was proven to be clipping the bails.

At 156 for five with 18 overs to return, Kapp and Chloe Tryon had the ability and poise to supply the large end. However each batters fell for 2 runs within the house of 9 balls – Kapp to a misjudged launch to long-on off Capsey for 19, and Tryon to a rush of blood on the finish of Ecclestone’s eighth over, as she gave her the cost to be stumped for 20.

Masabata Klaas then spooned a limp drive to mid-off to depart for a seven-ball duck, however England’s hopes of a fast kill at 201 for 8 had been thwarted by Mieke de Ridder and Nonkululeko Mlaba, who batted out the ultimate 45 balls of the innings to eke out a useful 32-run stand. Whereas Kapp was blowing away England’s top-order, these runs regarded essential. However Beaumont and Jones had different plans.