Molineux half-century helps Governor-General’s XI clinch T20 warm-up victory

A composed fifty from Sophie Molineux helped the Governor-General’s XI (GG’s XI) claim a closely contested four-wicket victory over the Proteas Women in the T20 Warm-Up match in Sydney on Wednesday as part of South Africa’s multi-format tour against Australia between 27 January - 18 February.

The opening batter recorded a match-winning score worth 59 off 41 deliveries, including 11 fours, as the hosts successfully chased down South Africa’s first innings score of 149/7 with four balls to spare despite valiant efforts from Nadine de Klerk (48*) and Masabata Klaas (3/16) with bat and ball.

After being asked to bat first by the home side at the North Sydney Oval, South Africa lost three early wickets, with Laura Wolvaardt (0), Tazmin Brits (4) and Anneke Bosch (10) dismissed to leave the tourists 19/3 within the opening four overs.

On the back of a stuttering start, the experienced duo of Suné Luus and Chloé Tryon got the Proteas’ innings back on track with a half-century stand featuring three sixes and seven fours to help take South Africa to 87/3.

In a fight back from the Governor-General’s XI, the invitational side picked up another three quick wickets to remove Luus (31), Tryon (39) and Eliz-Mari Marx (8) as South Africa brought up three figures to reach 109/6 after 17 overs.

In destructive fashion, de Klerk showcased her hitting prowess with the bat as she dispatched seven boundsries, including four sixes, to race to an unbeaten 48* off 24 deliveries to propel South Africa to a competitive 149/7 after 20 overs following the departure of Mieke de Ridder (2) in the final over.

Courtney Sippel (2/20) and Chloe Ainsworth (2/31) were the pick of the bowlers for the home side, with two wickets apiece.

In their chase, the Governor-General’s XI made an ideal start at the crease as Molineux and Georgia Voll (21) bolted to their 50-run partnership after amassing 49/0 in the powerplay.

The initial breakthrough for South Africa eventually came through allrounder de Klerk (1/21) as she trapped Voll leg-before wicket in the eighth over before Klaas joined her on the wicket-taker’s list to send Charli Knott (1) back to the hut and help restrict the GG’s XI to 75/2 at the halfway mark.

Those dismissals did little to slow down the GG’s XI as Molineux found a willing partner in Tess Flintoff (42), combining for a 56-run stand for the third wicket to help carry their team into triple figures, with the former raising her bat for a well-played fifty before she was clean bowled by Ayabonga Khaka (2/29).

Khaka then made it two wickets in three balls with the scalp of Maddy Darke for a duck before Klaas achieved a similar feat with two dismissals in four deliveries to leave the Aussie team 132/6 at the end of the 17th over to give South Africa a glimmer of hope for victory.

Despite doing well to take the match into the final over, the GG’s XI showed composure to get over the line within 19.2 overs, with Tahlia Wilson (15*) dispatching a four to seal the win and maintain their unbeaten record in celebrating the Australian Governor-General, Honourable David Hurley.

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

Fixtures – Proteas Women Multi-format Tour to Australia

T20I Series v Australia:

Saturday, 27 January @ 10h45 – 1st T20I – Australia v South Africa (Manuka Oval, Canberra)

Sunday, 28 January @ 10h45 – 2nd T20I – Australia v South Africa (Manuka Oval, Canberra)

Tuesday, 30 January @ 19h05 – 3rd T20I – Australia v South Africa (Bellerive Oval, Hobart)

ODI Series v Australia:

Saturday, 03 February @ 14h10 – 1st ODI – Australia v South Africa (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)

Wednesday, 07 February @ 14h40 – 2nd ODI – Australia v South Africa (North Sydney Oval, Sydney)

Saturday, 10 February – @14h40 3rd ODI – Australia v South Africa (North Sydney Oval, Sydney)

Test Match v Australia:

15 – 18 February @ 11h00 – Only test – Australia v South Africa (WACA Ground, Perth)