South Africa is still looking for their first victory over Australia after the Aussies won the first T20I at the Manuka Oval in Canberra by eight wickets.
The home team finished on 149 for two. This is after the Proteas earlier scored 147 for six, their highest T20I score against Australia.
Beth Mooney was the player of the match for her 72 not out (57b, 11x4, 1x6).
Protea captain Laura Wolvaardt said it wasn’t the start her team wanted.
“We fell a bit short with the bat, I feel we could have pushed to about 170. I also don’t think we hit the mark with the ball that well.”
Nonkululeko Mlaba’s left-arm spin deliveries were punished by Aussie openers Mooney and Alyssa Healy in the first over, with three reaching the boundary. Marizanne Kapp tightened things up somewhat in the second over with only two runs added to the home team’s total.
Needing to score at around 7.4 runs per over to secure victory, Australia was cruising along comfortably as the innings progressed. Mooney and Healy displayed excellent shot selection and placement, not bothered at all by the South African bowlers.
The first real chance was offered by Mooney in the fifth over when a big drive off the bowling of Masabata Klaas was edged passed an outstretched Protea wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta. Australia was on 44 (Mooney 14, Healy 28).
The breakthrough finally came with the Aussies on 72 in the eighth over. A brilliant forward diving catch by Suné Luus at long-on from the bowling of Nadine de Klerk saw the back of the in-form Healy for 46 (28b, 6x4, 2x6).
Mooney and new batter Tahlia McGrath then continued to steadily build towards the winning target. A dropped catch by Ayabonga Khaka in the 14th over with the score on 102 for one didn’t help the South Africans’ cause much either.
Mooney’s 21st T20I 50 (44b, 9x4) was up in the 17th over (125 for one).
Kapp clean bowled McGrath for 24 (30b, 4x4) and with the home team needing just 11 runs of 12 balls for victory. Mooney scored the winning runs with a six of a free hit (first ball) of the last over.
Earlier Tazmin Brits was the stand-out batter for South Africa with a not out 59 (54b, 6x4, 2x6). Darcy Brown and Ellyse Perry took two wickets each for Australia.
In the first four overs, Wolvaardt pierced the field at will with some powerful hitting. Brown got the breakthrough however when Wolvaardt couldn’t properly get hold of a delivery and had to depart for 16 (11b, 3x4) as Georgia Wareham took a comfortable catch. The score was 20 for one.
Marizanne Kapp didn’t last long before she had to return to the dressing room for one run (5b) and with the score on 30. A head-high catch by Beth Mooney gave Brown her second wicket.
South Africa lost their third wicket with the score on 73 when Luus (19, 17b, 2x4) gloved a Wareham delivery to Healy. It was Wareham’s 50th T20I wicket.
Anneke Bosch couldn’t get the distance on a pull shot from the bowling of Perry in the 14th over and had to depart for 14 (13b, 0x4, 2x6) with Gardner taking the catch. South Africa was on 100 for four.
After a sluggish start, Brits’ ninth T20I 50 (from 45 balls) was up in the 17th over and with the score on 127 for four.
In the next over and looking at setting a defendable total, Chloe Tryon scooped a Perry delivery high up in the air with Gardner making sure of the catch at deep midwicket. She scored 12 (13b, 2x4) and South Africa was on 127 for five.
In the last over, Nadine de Klerk was run out for 10 (6b, 1x6).
The next T20I is tomorrow, also at the Manuka Oval. The third and last match is on Tuesday at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Nadine De Klerk, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka.
AUSTRALIA: Alyssa Healy (capt), Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Grace Harris, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Darcie Brown, Megan Schutt.