Proteas whitewash Sri Lanka
WHITEWASH: TROUNCE SRI LANKA 3-0 IN T20 SERIES
Newcomers make big contribution and captain hopes their confidence will grow
South Africa’s fringe players gave the lie to suggestions that there is little depth to the national women’s setup as the Proteas secured a 3-0 Twenty20 series whitewash of Sri Lanka by beating them by 39 runs at Centurion yesterday.
Stalwarts such as captain Dane van Niekerk, Marizanne Kapp, Suné Luus and Shabnim Ismail all had good games, too, but this time there were significant contributions from some new faces.
Tazmin Brits helped her skipper give SA the perfect start, scoring 36 off 30 balls as they put on 58 for the first wicket in the first eight overs.
Van Niekerk had to retire, ill with a stomach bug, but Kapp kept the momentum going with 19 off 13 balls while Lara Goodall (35 off 30) and Luus (26 off 15, with two sixes) provided an excellent boost in the closing overs.
Van Niekerk returned and was dismissed in the final over for 38 off 29 deliveries, steering the Proteas to 163/5.
Sri Lanka battled to get going against superb new-ball spells from Kapp (2-0-3-1) and Ismail (4-0-11-2), while leg-spinner Luus (4-0-23-1) and seamer Nadine de Klerk, bowling for the first time in T20 internationals and taking 3/27, were both excellent as the tourists tried to up the tempo.
Sri Lanka were always behind the required rate and finished on 124/8.
Three one-day internationals now lie ahead and Van Niekerk hopes the youngsters will continue to shine.
“It’s a nice achievement for us to win 3-0 and for the youngsters to get us over the line.
“I’m happy with their contribution and we can build on this – they’re in that ODI set-up as well,” Van Niekerk said after the game.
“The ODIs are not as attacking as the T20s and we need to grow as much confidence as possible, to find our own brand and build that.”