Women's World Cup: Laura Wolvaardt's magnificent 169 powers South Africa to 319/7 v England in semis

Guwahati, Oct 29 (IANS) South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt produced one of the great innings in the history of Women’s ODI World Cup by smashing a magnificent 169 off 143 balls to power her side to a massive 319/7 in the first semifinal against England at the ACA Stadium here on Wednesday.

On her way to becoming the first captain to score a century in a women’s ODI knockout match, Laura smashed 20 fours and four sixes to now hold the record for the highest individual score for South Africa in a Women’s World Cup game.

Apart from sparkling shots, Laura’s innings was also a masterclass in pacing – she reached fifty off 52 balls, brought up her tenth ODI hundred off 115 deliveries, and then accelerated in a sensational fashion to amass 69 runs in her final 28 deliveries.

South Africa’s innings began with a solid 116-run opening stand between Laura and Tazmin Brits, but a brief collapse saw them lose three wickets in quick succession. But Laura steadied the innings with a composed 72-run partnership with Marizanne Kapp before launching into a late onslaught that left England’s bowlers scrambling.

Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of England’s attack, finishing with figures of 4-44, despite playing with a minor injury near her collarbone. But the rest of the England bowling unit struggled to contain Wolvaardt’s strokeplay on a placid pitch. England now face a daunting chase of 320 – in what would also be the second-highest successful pursuit in women’s ODI history.

With South Africa riding high after their group-stage collapse against the same opposition, thanks to Laura’s knock for the ages, the momentum has firmly shifted in favour of the Proteas. Pushed into batting first, Laura was elegant from the get-go by driving Lauren Bell for four, before getting a thick edge off the pacer for another boundary.

She took a liking to the width and lengths of Linsey Smith by picking four boundaries, even as Tazmin Brits got going with a couple of fours as South Africa ended power-play at 58/0. A sweep off Sophie through fine-leg for four made Laura the sixth woman to bring up 5,000 ODI runs, before bringing up her fifty through a drive. With Tazmin timing her boundaries well, South Africa brought up the hundred of their opening partnership.

But Sophie’s double strike in the 23rd over brought England back into the contest – Tazmin reverse-swept to her stumps to fall for 45, while Anneke Bosch was castled for a three-ball duck. More pressure came on South Africa as Sune Luus chopped on to her stumps while trying to pull off a slower Nat Sciver-Brunt delivery.

From there, Marizanne came in to stabilise things alongside Laura. She got going with three boundaries off Nat, before taking a four each off Sophie, Charlie Dean, and Alice Capsey. Even as she brought the fifty of her partnership with Laura, Marizanne had a reprieve when Lauren dropped her catch in the 34th over.

England’s decision to bring back Sophie paid off when she broke the partnership as Kapp skied a loft to mid-on and fell for 42. It brought a mini-wobble as Lauren castled Sinalo Jafta with a wobble seam delivery, while Annerie Dercksen chopped on to her stumps off Sophie.

Amidst all this, Laura brought up her first World Cup hundred on her 115th delivery, and opened up further by sweeping Sophie for four, before lofting Charlie for six. She then heaved and pulled Nat on consecutive balls for six and four, before flaying and lofting Charlie for two fours.

Laura’s onslaught continued when she pulled Nat for four, before heaving her for six. She raised her 150 by pulling Linsey for six, before pulling, slog-sweeping, and sweeping her for a hat-trick of fours. Though Laura miscued loft to long-on off Lauren, her magnificent innings, along with lofty shots from Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk, ensured South Africa crossed the 300-mark, thanks to a whopping 69 runs coming in the last five overs.

Brief scores:

South Africa 319/7 in 50 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 169, Tazmin Brits 45; Sophie Ecclestone 4-44, Lauren Bell 2-55) against England

–IANS

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