Marizanne Kapp showed her all-round class as she scored 68 and took 3 wickets to help the Momentum Proteas clinch a 13-run win and the series against Pakistan in Durban in the 2nd ODI, writes Emily Norris.
Coming off a win in the first game, the Proteas Women were fired up for the second match of the series which was a momentous occasion, as it was the first Black Day in ODI history. The purpose of this day was to show support for the fight against gender-based violence in South Africa and the world. It’s about making a statement and taking a stance together to end gender-based violence. What made this day even more special was that it was premier fast-bowler, Shabnim Ismail’s, 100th ODI.
Pakistan won the toss for the second time in the series, electing to bowl first again. The Proteas made just one change to their team that beat Pakistan in the first match, bringing in Ayabonga Khaka for Tumi Sekhukhune.
Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt got the Proteas off to a solid start, putting together 52 runs for the first wicket, before Wolvaardt was run out, in a way almost identical to the first game. We then saw a middle-order collapse from the Proteas, bringing Marizanne Kapp to the crease, with the score on 141-4.
She came out with intent, hitting her third ball over the top of mid-on for 4. She capitalised on anything straight and short, hitting 10 fours and 1 six. She brought her 50 up off just 41 balls, with a boundary over long-on, on the last ball of the 49th over.
Nadine de Klerk came in with the score on 194-6. She struggled to get going scoring just 4 runs off her first 13 balls. In-between overs, Kapp gave De Klerk a stern talking to, motivating her and tapping her on the helmet. As a result, De Klerk started playing her natural game by hitting much-needed boundaries, before being dismissed for 19 runs off 20 balls.
De Klerk was dismissed on the first ball of the 50th over, bringing Shabnim Ismail to the crease. Ismail went over the top, hitting the ball in the air to long-off for 1 run, getting Kapp back on strike for the last four balls of the innings. Kapp ended her sensational knock by scoring 18 runs off these last four balls – clearing the rope for 6 over mid-wicket, piercing the two fielders on the mid-wicket boundary for 4, sweeping for 4, and then ending the innings by sweeping for 4 again.
She ended with a strike rate of 151.11, scoring 68* off 45 balls. The last 5 overs yielded 53 runs, with Kapp scoring 34 of those. Kapp single-handedly put the Proteas in the driving seat and in a good position to win the match with a total of 252 on the board.
Her bowling performance was just as impressive. Kapp got a wicket in her first over, nicking Muneeba Ali off, taken by Luus at first slip. She also took the wicket of Nahida Khan with a straight ball, dismissing her lbw, as well as dismissing Sidra Nawaz lbw with a ball that looked like it was going down the leg side.
Kapp finished with figures of 3/44 off her 10 overs.
The Proteas made things hard for themselves by giving Aliya Riaz (81) and Nida Dar (51) the chance to score a record 111-run partnership. But the Proteas held their nerve to hold onto the win, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
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