England Women crush Proteas to sweep T20I series

England Women produced a powerful all-round performance to seal a 3-0 series whitewash as they absolutely crushed the Proteas by nine wickets in the third T20 International at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday night.

After a strong bowling and fielding performance saw them restrict the Proteas to a well below-par 124 all out on a good batting wicket, their top three then delivered the fireworks as they powered to the win with a massive 51 balls to spare.

The Proteas now have to try and pick themselves up for the three-match ODI series starting in Kimberley on Wednesday, where they will hope to pick up their first win.

“We were completely outplayed, and you have to give credit where it is due. England played really well over the whole T20 series, and we just didn’t play well today,” said Proteas stand-in captain Chloe Tryon, who took over after Laura Wolvaardt withdrew due to illness.

“At two-nil down (in the series) we wanted to find some energy from somewhere. We had some chats after the last game, and we were really disappointed with the way we bowled.

“So as a unit today we thought it was the perfect opportunity to show a little bit of character and take some momentum into the 50-over series.

“But we were completely outplayed. We have a lot of youngsters coming through and putting up their hands which is good to see. So, it is a good opportunity for them, and it is important for us to build some depth. Unfortunately, it just didn’t go our way this series.”

BOUCHIER DOMINATION

Earlier, the England chase began with opener Maia Bouchier completely dominating the powerplay as she crunched five fours and a six on her way to 35 off 21 balls.

Just before the end of the powerplay, Bouchier was snagged by a phenomenal catch by Nondumiso Shangase who plucked the ball out of the air one handed after it looked like the ball from Ayanda Hlubi was heading over mid-on to the boundary, with the score 56 for one.

Dani Wyatt-Hodge then took centre stage to slam her second straight half-century, her boundary in the 12th over taking her to an unbeaten 53 off 31 balls, having crunched 10 fours and a six along the way.

Her unbeaten 72-run second-wicket stand with Sophia Dunkley, 24no off 17 (3x4; 1x6), continued the dominant start that her fellow opener kickstarted, as they cruised home in style.

At the start of play, England won the toss and chose to bowl, with them getting off to a great start that helped them restrict the Proteas to the lowest score of the T20I series.

The Proteas' innings got off to an absolutely dreadful start as they lost four wickets in the powerplay and one just after to slump to 45 for five in the eighth over.

Anneke Bosch was bowled for a golden duck by a yorker from Lauren Filer in the first over, while Faye Tunnicliffe (1) skied Lauren Bell to Maia Bouchier at short mid-wicket in the next as they slipped to 3/2.

Annerie Dercksen, 19 off 12 balls (4x4) and Sune Luus, 21 off 17 (5x4) looked to counterattack as they hammered a few boundaries off the few overs, but at the end of the fourth, Dercksen got a leading edge to a ball from Bell straight to Nat Sciver-Brunt at mid-on, leaving them on 25 for three.

In the final over of the powerplay, Luus crunched three boundaries off Charlie Dean, but then gave it away as she tamely chipped her to captain Heather Knight at short extra cover as they slipped to 42 for four.

Stand-in captain Chloe Tryon (1) continued the procession in the eight over as she hit Dean straight to Knight at extra cover, leaving the Proteas in deep trouble.

However, Nondumiso Shangase (31) and Nadine de Klerk (19) battled back for the hosts as they tried to get their side to a defendable total.

FLURRY OF WICKETS

Both scored at less than a run-a-ball but crucially combined for a 52-run sixth-wicket partnership to get the Proteas almost to the 100-run mark.

But another flurry of wickets set the Proteas back again, as they lost three for 10 runs in 10 balls, starting with Shangase, stumped by keeper Amy Jones when losing track of the ball after inside edging it from Freya Kemp onto herself in the 16th over.

New batter Sinalo Jafta (4) was run out in the 17th and De Klerk found Bouchier at cover off the bowling of Dean at the start of the 18th, leaving them on 107 for eight.

Eliz-Mari Marx (12) was bowled by Sophie Ecclestone in the 19th, while Ayanda Hlubi (7) was run out off the final ball of the innings to end off a poor showing with the bat from the hosts.

Dean, 3-26, and Bell, 2-24, were the pick of an impressive bowling performance from the visitors.

SOUTH AFRICA: Faye Tunnicliffe, Anneke Bosch, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon (capt), Nondumiso Shangase, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Eliz-mari Marx, Tumi Sekhukhune, Ayanda Hlubi

ENGLAND: Maia Bouchier, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (capt), Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell