The Proteas Women scored a mammoth 195/3 steered by a maiden Lizelle Lee century at Canberra, which set the highest score in Women’s T20 World Cup history, writes Naeemah Benjamin.
They won by a staggering 113 runs to go to the top of group B and are one step closer to the semi finals.
The top order stepped up despite losing the skipper, Dane van Niekerk (2) early and Marizanne Kapp missed out due to injury.
Compared to their opening game vs England where their fielding was applauded, they were underwhelming in the field dropping four relatively easy catches but Trisha Chetty was sublime behind the stumps.
Lizelle Lee who was dismissed fairly early in the first game on Friday, registered her maiden T20I ton. It came off 60 balls including 16 fours and 3 sixes.
“I think it was just one of the days where things worked out well for me,” said Lee at the post match presentation
“I’m just glad it paid off today, It gives me a little confidence for the up coming games”.
Lee shared in a magnificent 131-run stand for the second wicket with Sune Luus who finishes unbeaten on 61* from 41 balls. Luus also picked up 3/15 in her 4 over quota.
The bowlers ran through the Thailand lineup with the top 5 all being dismissed for single figures.
Van Niekerk 1/3, Mlaba, 1/4 and Ismail 3/15 were instrumental with the ball.
Van Niekerk expressed the teams disappointment with their sub par fielding today but also said it’s a quick turnaround in these tournaments and can’t harp on it too much and they’ll have to do better.
“The box we wanted to tick was to get the win, credit to Lizelle for the century,” said the skipper.
“Our fielding let us down today, we always want to be at our best no matter who we play and I don’t think we were at our best. We can’t be that inconsistent in the field.”
Photo: CSA
