New Zealand batted first at the Holkar Cricket Stadium and were bowled out for 231 runs in 47.5 overs. Spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba claimed impressive figures of 4/40.

The White Ferns were in trouble from the very first ball of the match when veteran all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, playing in her 155th ODI, trapped Suzie Bates LBW.

Nonkululeko Mlaba. Photo: Cricinfo

Captain Sophie Devine led the charge with the bat for New Zealand, scoring 85 off 98 balls before being bowled by Mlaba. She was well supported by Brooke Halliday, who struck 45 off 37, while Georgia Plimmer added 31 off 68 at the top of the order.

In reply, Klerksdorp-born Brits produced a superb 101 off 89 balls, while Suné Luus remained unbeaten on 83, as South Africa chased down the target in 40.5 overs.

After losing captain Laura Wolvaardt for 14 with the score on 26 after 2.5 overs, Brits and Luus combined for a brilliant 159-run stand for the second wicket and looked set to guide South Africa to a nine-wicket win. 

Kapp added 14 runs, and Anneke Bosch was dismissed for a duck before wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta joined Luus at the crease. Jafta scored an unbeaten six to help South Africa across the line.

Amelia Kerr was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with 2/62 in her ten overs, while Lea Tahuhu and Jess Kerr each claimed a wicket.

Brits broke a couple of records in leading South Africa to victory. By scoring her ton, she became the first player in the women’s game to record five centuries in a calendar year. She also became the fastest player to reach seven centuries, breaking Australian great Meg Lanning’s record of achieving the feat in 44 ODIs. Brits have now reached the milestone in just 41 ODIs.

Following the victory, Brits said it was crucial for her and the team to put the ten-wicket loss to England in Guwahati on Friday behind them.

Tazmin Brits. Photo: Cricinfo

“It didn’t sit well with me. I was actually very ‘naar’, and I didn’t even want to eat that night – I overthought the process completely. But we put that in the past as quickly as possible and said, we’ve got to move on to the next game.”

Speaking about her fourth century in her last five WODIs, Brits said it was fun out in the middle, but her unbeaten 101 against Pakistan in Lahore last month remains her favourite. She said a lot of hard work is going into her batting.

“This one was a bit of fun – for some reason, I was middling the ball better – but I think the best century was the one in Pakistan, where Marizanne Kapp and I batted for long periods of time.”

Sophie Devine and Tazmin Brits. Photo: Cricinfo

“I think that was the toughest century I’ve had to make.

“We’ve been having a lot of batting camps, working on my stance and shot execution. I’ve just been putting in a lot of hard work.”

It’s a short turnaround for South Africa, who will be back in action on Thursday when they face co-hosts India at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 11:30.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg