Ireland won the toss and skipper Gaby Lewis opted to bat first. The decision brought a mixed return as the Irish showed fight but ultimately struggled to build sustained momentum.

Lewis led from the front with a composed 64 off 80 balls, the backbone of Ireland’s innings, as they were bowled out for 205 in 45.2 overs. Christiana Reilly added a handy 37, while Leah Paul chipped in with 30 to give the visitors something to defend.

Nonkululeko Mlaba - Cricinfo

South Africa’s bowlers kept things tight for the most part, with left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba the standout performer. She ripped through the Irish batting order with an impressive 4/33 in her nine overs, while Suné Luus supported well, claiming 2/45 in 8.2 overs.

In reply, Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt once again underlined her class with a sublime unbeaten century, guiding her side home with ease. Wolvaardt struck a fluent 100* off just 93 balls, peppering the boundary with 16 fours as South Africa chased down the target in only 32.2 overs.

She found solid support from Tazmin Brits, who contributed 26, while Luus capped off a fine all-round performance with a composed 25. For Ireland, Arlene Kelly was the pick of the bowlers with 2/34, while Aimee Maguire returned figures of 2/51.

Reflecting on both the T20 International and One-Day International series against Ireland, Wolvaardt said there were plenty of positives to take from the six-match run.

“In the T20s we wanted to play a strong side with the T20 World Cup next year in mind, and I was really pleased that we managed to push close to 200 a couple of times,” said Wolvaardt.

“The ODIs were more about giving opportunities and rotating the squad, with some regular players getting a rest. It was great to see youngsters step up and put their hands up. It’s going to make selection tough going forward as we build a base for the next 50-over World Cup.”

Miané Smit - Cricinfo

While pleased with the batting progress, Wolvaardt admitted the bowling unit still has work to do.

“We put up some really good scores, but from a bowling point of view we probably needed to be more consistent for longer,” she said.

“There were spells of really good balls and then we let it slip. In 50-over cricket it’s about building pressure, hitting the stumps, and staying disciplined for longer periods.”

Wolvaardt also singled out the younger players, particularly Karabo Meso and Miané Smit, for making the most of their chances against Ireland.

Karabo Meso - Cricinfo

“Karabo has been excellent - her hands behind the stumps are very good, and I’m really pleased she got a few games and performed so well,” Wolvaardt added.

“It was also great to see her get some time with the bat. Mia has taken every opportunity she’s been given, and it’s nice to have an all-rounder like her who can become a really solid batter for us in the future.”

The win brings the curtain down on what has been a memorable 2025 for the Proteas Women - a year in which they continued to build depth, blood young talent, and remain fiercely competitive, highlighted by their run to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport