Marizanne Kapp delivered an outstanding all-around performance, supported by debutant Ayanda Hlubi, as well as Eliz-Mari Marx and Nadine de Klerk, leading the Proteas Women to a resounding 84-run victory via the Duckworth Lewis and Stern method (DLS) against Australia in the second One-Day International (ODI) at the North Sydney Oval on Wednesday.
The visitors’ triumph leveled the series at 1-1, with the multi-format tour standing at six points to four in favor of Australia.
Kapp showcased brilliance with a 75-run innings off 87 balls, featuring 12 fours, enabling South Africa to post a commendable 229/6 in 45 overs after a rain delay reduced the game by five overs per side. Kapp (3/12), along with Marx (2/22), de Klerk (2/26), and Hlubi (2/41), then combined forces to dismiss Australia for 149 all out after 29.3 overs.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the Proteas recovered from an early setback as captain Laura Wolvaardt (0) was dismissed with the third ball of the match. Tazmin Brits (21) and Anneke Bosch (44) then formed a solid 52-run partnership to guide their side through the powerplay.
Australia’s Annabel Sutherland (1/28) eventually broke the second-wicket stand, with Brits departing, and Bosch falling six runs short of a half-century to Ashleigh Gardner (2/31), leaving South Africa at 71/3 in the 16th over.
Despite being three down, the Proteas found another key partnership between Kapp and Suné Luus (19) worth 46 runs before Gardner struck again to remove Luus with the away side moving into triple figures.
At 136/4 with Kapp and de Klerk (14) at the crease, rain interrupted play for an hour before Kim Garth (1/42) dismissed de Klerk. There was another brief delay in the 35th over before Kapp reached her 14th career half-century in a 45-run partnership with Chloé Tryon for the sixth wicket. Kapp was the last wicket to fall in the 42nd over.
In a strong finish for the Proteas, Tryon ended unbeaten on 37* off 36 balls (3 fours, 1 six), taking the South Africans to 229/6 after 45 overs.
Australia, requiring a revised DLS target of 234 to win, faced early setbacks with the dismissals of Alyssa Healy (4), Beth Mooney (0), and Phoebe Litchfield (14) as Kapp tore through the host’s top-order, leaving them at 34/3 in the seventh over.
Hlubi and Marx further compounded Australia’s woes, dismissing Ellyse Perry (2) and Annabel Sutherland (1), with the home side reeling at 58/5.
With the South African team in dominant form, Hlubi secured her second wicket by clean bowling Georgia Wareham for a duck, while de Klerk took two wickets in one over to dismiss Tahlia McGrath (22) and Alana King (0) in the 14th over.
Facing defeat, Australia’s Gardner (35) and Garth (42*) forged a world record partnership for the ninth wicket, adding 77 runs before Marx crucially dismissed Gardner in the 29th over. This was followed by the match-winning removal of Megan Schutt (1), sealing South Africa’s first-ever ODI victory against the hosts.
Special mention goes to wicket-keeper Sinalo Jafta, who claimed four catches behind the stumps, contributing to the quality bowling from the touring side.
Along with leveling the series and narrowing the gap in the multi-format tour points tally, South Africa’s win has also propelled Hilton Moreeng’s charges back to joint-top of the ICC Women’s Championship (2022-25) standings with Australia, both on 20 points.
The third and final ODI is set to commence on Saturday, 10 February, at the same ground from 14h40 local time (05h40 SAST).
Proteas Women Squad (T20I & ODI) – Multi-format Tour to Australia
Laura Wolvaardt (Fidelity Titans, Captain), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Nadine de Klerk (Western Province), Mieke de Ridder (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Ayanda Hlubi (Hollywoodbets Dolphins),Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (Western Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans),Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions), Delmi Tucker (Western Province)
Results:
T20 Warm-Up
Governor-General XI beat South Africa by 4 wickets
South Africa: 149/7 after 20 overs; N. de Klerk 48* (24), C. Tryon 39 (29); C. Sippel 2/20, C. Ainsworth 2/31
Governor-General XI: 150/6 after 19.2 overs; S. Molineux 59 (41), T. Flintoff 42 (27); M. Klaas 3/16, A. Khaka 2/29
T20I Series vs Australia
1st T20I
Australia beat South Africa by 8 wickets
South Africa: 147/6 after 20 overs; T. Brits 59* (54), S. Luus 19 (17); E. Perry 2/13, D. Brown 2/20
Australia: 149/2 after 19.1 overs; B. Mooney 72* (57), A. Healy 46 (28); M. Kapp 1/25, N. de Klerk 1/25
2nd T20I
South Africa beat Australia by 6 wickets
Australia: 142/6 after 20 overs; G. Harris 31* (18), A. Healy 29 (24); M. Klaas 2/16, N. Mlaba 1/18
South Africa: 144/6 after 19 overs; L. Wolvaardt 58* (53), T. Brits 41 (28); A. Gardner 2/26, T. McGrath 1/16
3rd T20I
Australia beat South Africa by 5 wickets
South Africa: 162/7 after 20 overs; M. Kapp 75 (48), C. Tryon 26 (16); T. McGrath 1/17, G. Wareham 1/25
Australia: 163/5 after 19.2 overs; B. Mooney 82 (55), A. Gardener 26 (17); M. Klaas 1/13, C. Tryon 1/23
ODI Series vs Australia
1st ODI
Australia beat South Africa by 8 wickets
South Africa: 105/9 after 31.3 overs; M. Kapp 50* (58) (retired hurt), N. de Klerk 18 (33); A. King 3/19, K. Garth 2/18
Australia: 106/2 after 19 overs; B. Mooney 52* (34), A. Healy 19 (24); N. de Klerk 1/19, M. Klaas 1/22
2nd ODI
South Africa beat Australia by 84 runs (DLS)
South Africa: 229/6 after 45 overs; M. Kapp 75 (87), C. Tryon 37* (36); A. Gardner 2/31, M. Schutt 2/35
Australia: 149 all out after 29.3 overs; K. Garth 42* (48), A. Gardner 35 (52); M. Kapp 3/12, E. Marx 2/22
Fixtures – Proteas Women Multi-format Tour to Australia
ODI Series vs Australia:
Saturday, 10 February – @14h40 3rd ODI – Australia vs South Africa (North Sydney Oval, Sydney)
Test Match vs Australia:
15 – 18 February @ 11h00 – Only Test – Australia vs South Africa (WACA Ground, Perth)
