All-round Dane shows SA the way

VAN NIEKERK DOWNS INDIA WITH BAT AND BALL

South African captain Dane van Niekerk starred with both bat and ball as the Proteas ended India’s unbeaten start to the Women’s World Cup in England on Saturday with a crushing 115-run win.

Van Niekerk made 57 in a total of 273 for nine that featured Lizelle Lee’s dashing 92.

India, who had won their first four group matches, then slumped to 158 all out with van Niekerk taking four for 22 – including dismissing opposing skipper Mithali Raj for the first golden duck of the India star’s one-day international career.

“I just stuck to my plans and today it came off. We said we wanted it, and we did that,” said Van Niekerk after her side’s third win in five matches, which includes one defeat and one no result.

“Everyone chipped in and it was a brilliant team performance,” she added after a victory that took South Africa into the top four of the eight-team tournament – with the leading four sides going into the semifinals after the all-play-all group phase.

Lee’s remarkable innings saw her score 82 runs in boundaries.

Raj, who won the toss, said: “When we decided to field it was because of the history of the ground. We’ve had people saying that most of the matches that are won here are chasing.”

Van Niekerk is proud of the manner in which her side bounced back from their 68-run loss to England on Wednesday.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team, that’s the response that any captain wants to see after a loss like that,” she said. “It was a very tough loss, a lot of bowlers went and had a bit of downtime where they reflected on their personal performances and came back with plans on how they were gonna do better.

South Africa next take on Sri Lanka in Taunton on Wednesday. – AFP