Protea captain Laura Wolvaardt struck a record-breaking 115 off 56 balls to help her side to a massive 220 for 2 in their 20 overs. This is the quickest hundred by a South African in T20I

South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first, but lost the wicket of Faye Tunnicliffe in the second over. This brought the stalwart all-rounder Sune Luus to the crease, and together with Wolvaardt they put on 176 runs for the second wicket partnership.

But it is Wolvaardt who truly shined with the bat, racing to a half-century in only 24 balls. Ireland’s sloppy fielding enabled the hosts to race past 100 in the tenth over.  Luus, on her career-best of 81, finally were beaten by Irish seamer Ava Canning and was bowled in the eighteenth over. 

Steep mountain

This brought veteran Dane van Niekerk to the middle in her first international since September 2021. Van Niekerk eventually finished on 21 not out of just eight balls.

It was always going to be a very steep mountain to climb for the 10th ranked Ireland and they had the worst possible start with Luus striking twice in the first over to dismiss Amy Hunter (1) and allrounder Orla Prendergast (2).  

Only captain Gaby Lewis (30) and Leah Paul (34) offered some resistance with a partnership of 42 runs off 39 balls. 

Luus took two more wickets to finish on 22/4 in her four overs, with Nonkululeko Mlaba and Chloe Tryon both picking up two wickets and Nadine de Klerk and Nondumiso Shangase also taking a wicket each.

Player of the Match

For her 115 not out and taking two catches, Wolvaardt was Player of the Match. She also broke the record for most runs in boundaries (84) in an innings in women’s T20I, going past Lizelle Lee’s previous record of 82.

The next T20I between the teams will take place on Sunday in Paarl and will start at 14:00.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger dg