The Proteas came to their last match of the Tri-Nations against Sri Lanka with three changes in the team. Captain Laura Wolvaardt, the experienced Ayabonga Khaka, and debutant Seshnie Naidu made the playing XI. Sune Luus, Masabata Klaas, and Nonkululeko Mlaba were the rested trio.
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to let the Proteas bat first. That meant the Proteas would field during the hot Sri Lankan afternoon.
With the captain back, the Proteas brought back their familiar opening pair of Woolvardt and Tazmin Brits. The two batters combined for a solid opening stand of 68 of 82 balls. Brits (38) was the first to go, and she was followed by Woolvardt (33) four balls later. Both openers fell to the Sri Lankan teen sensation Dewmi Vihanga. Vihanga continued to terrorise the South batting line-up by dismissing Miane Smit, Lara Goodall, and Sinalo Jafta. The teen took Sri Lanka’s first five wickets to leave the Proteas on 85 for 5. This was Vihanga’s maiden 5 wicket-haul.
Then, a partnership of 42 started between Annerie Dercksen and Nondumiso Shangase started the Proteas turnaround of their innings. Shangase was outsmarted by the Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu. Shangase was dismissed via LBW for a hard fought 18.
In came in, Chloe Tryon, who partnered up with Dercksen for a 77 ball 112, seventh wicket partnership. Dercksen, with her maiden ODI century, recorded South Africa’s fastest century. She was eventually dismissed for 84 ball 104. South Africa was finally on top in the match with a score of 239 for 7. Then it became a Tryon and Nadine de Klerk show as the pair put on 66 from 22 balls for the eighth wicket. Eventually, Tryon was dismissed for a 51 ball 74. De Klerk finished the innings unbeaten on 32 of 19 balls. The Proteas scored 315 for 9 in their 50 overs.
Apart from Vihanga 5 wicket-haul, Athapaththu took 2 wickets, and Manudi Nanayakkara took one wicket.
The Proteas bowlers did not have it easy at the top as the Sri Lankan opening batters came in attacking. It took Tryon to be introduced for the Proteas to take their first wicket, and Sri Lanka were on 52 for 1, when Hasini Perera was dismissed. Tryon took the following wicket of the other opener, Vishmi Gunaratne, leaving Sri Lanka on 68 for 2.
For the third wicket, Sri Lankan captain Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama combined for 56 before Seshnie Naidu took her maiden ODI wicket. Athapaththu was the fourth wicket to go thanks to Khaka. Sri Lanka was 160 for 4 at this point, still needing 156 of 123 balls left. The Proteas were on top, but this was not a score that modern cricketers could not get.
Eleven runs later, Miane Smit got her first international wicket by dismissing Nanayakkara. The big moment of the match happened in the forty seconds over when Tryon got her first career hatrick. She picked up the wickets of Vihanga, Sugandika Kumari, and Malki Madara. That hatrick also got her to her first career five wicket-haul. Tryon finished the match with match figures of 5 for 34.
The final wicket of the match was in the very next over, a run-out of Inoshi Priyadharshani. Khaka finished with 2 for 30 in six overs. Shangase went wicketless but bowled well in the six overs she bowled.
The Proteas won the match by 76 runs and finished their Tri-Nations tour of Sri Lanka with one win from four matches.
Pic cred: Sri Lanka Cricket
