In a match that was a fitting finale to an electrifying series, the Proteas Women narrowly missed out on a series whitewash, losing to the New Zealand Women in the third and final ODI at Kingsmead in Durban on Sunday, 1 October 2023.
Despite the loss, the Proteas Women clinched the series 2-1, having won the first two ODIs.
The day was particularly special for Chloe Tryon, who donned the national colours for her 100th ODI. The stage was set for a thrilling encounter, with the Proteas Women leading the series 2-0 and two ICC ODI World Championship points at stake.
A Rocky Start for the Proteas Women
New Zealand won the toss and chose to field first, perhaps influenced by the overcast conditions. The Proteas Women made one change to their lineup, bringing in top-order bat Anneke Bosch for Lara Goodall.
The match started with an unexpected rain delay, but once the covers were off, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits opened the innings for South Africa. The opening phase was challenging, with the Proteas Women managing 16/0 in the first 5 overs.
Brits was the first to depart, caught and bowled by Hannah Rowe, leaving South Africa at 20/1 in the 6th over. Anneke Bosch and Suné Luus couldn’t make much of an impact, falling for 7 and 5 runs respectively.
The Middle-Order Stabilises
Laura Wolvaardt, the linchpin of the South African batting, was joined by Marizanne Kapp. Wolvaardt eventually fell for 24 runs off 53 balls, making way for Chloe Tryon. Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon then took charge, with Kapp scoring a brisk 32 off 33 balls and Tryon adding 22 off 30 balls. The partnership was broken by Fran Jonas, who dismissed Tryon for 25.
Sophie Devine, the New Zealand skipper, then struck, dismissing Nadine de Klerk for 8. Sinalo Jafta joined Kapp in the middle, and the pair took South Africa to 146/6 after 35 overs. With five overs to go, Kapp’s invaluable 63 off 67 balls and Jafta’s 16 off 23 balls had taken South Africa to 176/6. The last five overs were a rollercoaster, with South Africa finishing at 209/9 in 45 overs.
New Zealand’s Calculated Chase
Chasing a target of 210, New Zealand Women had their work cut out for them. Amelia Kerr and Suzie Bates opened the innings for New Zealand. The first breakthrough for South Africa came when Masabata Klaas dismissed Suzie Bates for 9 runs. Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine then took charge, with Kerr scoring a half-century. Devine was eventually dismissed for 30 runs.
Georgia Plimmer joined Kerr but was dismissed for 6 runs. At this point, New Zealand needed 81 more runs to win and were at 129/4 after 30 overs. Amelia Kerr continued her stellar performance, holding the fort at 73* after 35 overs, with Brooke Halliday supporting her at 10*.
The Final Stretch
The atmosphere was electric as New Zealand reached 178/4 after 40 overs. Amelia Kerr was the star of the show, finishing with an unbeaten 100*, while Brooke Halliday supported her with 37*. New Zealand Women won the match by 6 wickets with 10 balls remaining (DLS method).
Despite a fighting total set by the Proteas Women and disciplined bowling, New Zealand Women showed exceptional skill and composure to chase down the target.
Amelia Kerr’s unbeaten century was the highlight of the match, ensuring New Zealand avoided a series whitewash. Nonetheless, the Proteas Women clinched the series 2-1, marking a significant achievement for the team.
Photo Caption: The Proteas Women celebrate a match highlight during the third ODI in Durban on Sunday. New Zealand’s White Ferns raised their game and, having put SA in to bat after winning the toss on a cloudy early morning, steadily moved to victory under the guidance of an inspiring innings 100 not-out innings by Amelia Kerr, wining the fixture by 6 wickets to avoid a white-wash series loss to South Africa, who took the laurels 2-1. Photo: Cricket SA on X
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