Goodall and Steyn star for Proteas
A 165-RUN second wicket partnership between Lara Goodall and Andrie Steyn helped South Africa to a comfortable victory in the second one-day international against Ireland in Dublin yesterday.
In the process, the Proteas wrapped up the series with one match to spare.
The pair, both pushing for spots in the side ahead of the return of some of the star players for the England tour in a few weeks, batted efficiently as South Africa reached the required total of 214 with 11.2 overs to spare.
Goodall, who made a career best 93 not out, has found some good form since the second T20 International and her innings yesterday, which came off 99 balls, included eight fours and was her second half century of the tour.
She has looked increasingly more assured at the crease, and the only criticism that could be levelled at her is that she hasn’t been as proficient through the off-side, where England’s more experienced bowlers will examine her better than the young Irish bowlers have.
Steyn also played well, although she did struggle to score after reaching 40, with her frustration clear for all to see as she battled to pierce the in-field, despite Ireland’s bowlers serving up a steady stream of overpitched deliveries.
Steyn eventually finished not out on 84, hitting seven fours in her innings.
South Africa got the perfect start in pursuit of what appeared a challenging total with Laura Wolvaardt hitting a few dreamy strokes through the off-side as she and Steyn put on 52 for the first wicket off only 8.3 overs.
However, she was out-foxed by 17-year-old Georgina Dempsey, who got a ball to move away late.
It found the leading edge of Wolvaardt’s bat, with Leah Paul taking an easy catch to dismiss the elegant right hander for 27, which came off 29 balls and included five boundaries.
Ireland’s batters took advantage of some awful bowling from South Africa’s spinners, who battled with their line and length and allowed the hosts to post a total above 200.
Raisibe Ntozakhe and Delmari Tucker, who made her debut on Saturday but didn’t bowl, skipper Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon bowled nine wides, while also conceding 14 of the 18 boundaries struck by the Irish.
That helped Gaby Lewis to make a fourth ODI half-century, while there was good support from Sophie MacMahon, who made 42 and shared a 69-run partnership for the fifth wicket her captain and Dempsey, who finished off the innings making an unbeaten 45 off 54 balls.
Fortunately for the tourists, Shabnim Ismail (3/31) and Nadine de Klerk (2/31) created enough pressure and picked up wickets at key intervals to ensure that the Irish didn’t get away from the South Africans.
The final match of the series will be played on Friday.