Cricket
Van Niekerk shines before rain spoils opening day─── 07:30 Tue, 13 Dec 2022
Experienced all-rounder Dané van Niekerk starred with both bat and ball as she helped inspire her Starlights side to a comprehensive opening day victory in the fourth edition of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s T20 Super League at Newlands.
Van Niekerk stood tall with an unbeaten 50 off 47, including nine fours as the Starlights successfully chased down SA U19 Women’s total of 82/7 after 20 overs following Karabo Meso’s 39-ball 36 (4 fours).
After helping restrict the rising stars to a below-par score, led by Khayakazi Mathe (2/7), and van Niekerk’s (2/13) performance with the ball, the South African and Starlights skipper made light work of the chase as her side reached the target with 6.5 overs to spare.
In the second match of the day, Momentum Proteas fast bowler and reigning CSA Player and Player’s Player of the Year, Ayabonga Khaka, led the charge for the Coronations with impressive figures of three for 15 to leave the Thistles reeling on 89 / 8 after their allotted overs.
Three deliveries into the second innings, the heavens opened up over the majestic Newlands ground before persistent rain meant the Coronation-Thistles clash ended with a no result.
The overhead conditions failed to improve through the course of the afternoon before the umpires and organizers abandoned the final encounter of the day between the Thistles and Starlights.
The WSL 4.0 action will continue on Tuesday, 13 December with three more tantalising fixtures.
Day 1 Scores:
Starlights beat SA U19 Women by 9 wickets
SA U19 Women: 82 / 7 after 20 overs; K. Meso 36* (39), E. Janse van Rensburg 15 (25); K. Mathe 2 / 7, D. van Niekerk 2 / 13
Starlights: 83 / 1 after 13.1 overs; D. van Niekerk 50* (47), I. Cilliers 27* (24); R. Moncho 1 / 12, K. Reyneke 0 / 9
No Result
Thistles: 89 / 8 after 20 overs; M. Andrews 19 (31), F. Tunnicliffe 13 (14); A. Khaka 3 / 15, N. de Klerk 2 / 16
Coronations: 1 / 0 after 0.3 overs; L. Goodall 1* (2), K. Thomson 0* (1); E. Marx 0 / 0
WSL 4.0 Fixtures at Newlands:
Tuesday, 13 December
09h00 SAST – Starlights vs Coronations
12h25 SAST – Thistles vs SA U19
15h50 SAST – Coronations vs SA U19
Wednesday, 14 December
Rest Day
Thursday, 15 December
09h00 SAST – Thistles vs Coronations
12h25 SAST – Starlights vs Thistles
15h50 SAST – SA U19 vs Starlights
Friday, 16 December
09h00 SAST – SA U19 vs Thistles
12h25 SAST – SA U19 vs Coronations
15h50 SAST – Coronations vs Starlights
