Stunning 4/0 in SA thrashing of Windies
THAT cricket is a stupid game was proven again yesterday when Dane van Niekerk grabbed the stunning figures of 4/0 to mark the only time in international cricket history‚ men’s or women’s‚ that a bowler has claimed that many wickets without conceding a single run. That was not the stupid bit. Neither was the 48 West Indies were shot out for – their second-lowest total in one-day internationals – nor South Africa’s reply of 51 without loss‚ which sealed their third match without defeat in the Women’s World Cup.
What did not make sense was that leg spinner Van Niekerk’s performance will not be recognised as the best of her career.
That distinction still belongs to the 5/17 she claimed against Pakistan in Doha in January 2014.
Many bowlers would be proud to call 5/17 their best figures. But 4/0 is 4/0. It is also debatable whether Van Niekerk was even South Africa’s best bowler on the day.
She brought herself on to bowl in the 19th over‚ after West Indies had been reduced to 38/5.
Those wickets all crashed inside the first eight overs – with only 16 runs scored – to Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp.
Ismail took 2/16 and Kapp a career-best 4/14.
“It’s surreal‚” Van Niekerk said of South Africa’s rout‚ which was complete when Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee knocked off the nominal target in 6.2 overs.
“I couldn’t script it any better. We had our plans coming into the game and they worked. To the T.”
England‚ who have lost to India and beaten Pakistan‚ now have to find a way past South Africa‚ who added yesterday’s triumph to a win over Pakistan and a washout against New Zealand in Bristol on Wednesday.
Another success and the South Africans will be within touching distance of a place in the semifinals.