Batters stand tall in Women’s Provincial One-Day Cup as brits and Cilliers rack up centuries

Batters Tazmin Brits and Izel Cilliers lit up the stage with outstanding hundreds as quality batting performances produced high-scoring encounters in the latest round of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s Provincial One-Day Cup held across the country on Saturday.

Momentum Proteas’ Brits scored an unbeaten 134 off 115 to help the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers claim an emphatic seven-wicket triumph over her former side, the North West Dragons despite Izel Cilliers’ own 151-ball 121* in an exciting contest at the Witrand Oval in Potchefstroom.

Nonkululeko Thabethe’s measured half-century worth 65 off 123 balls helped the DP World Lions earn their second victory of the campaign in a tightly contested Juskei Derby against the Fidelity Titans at the DP World Wanderers, where Robyn Searle (58) and Proteas Women allrounder, Suné Luus (52) also added to the run fest.

Meanwhile, the top of the table clash at the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium between the Hollywoodbets Dolphins and Six Gun Grill Western Province was abandoned during the innings break due to persistent rain in Durban.

After a full round of the One-Day Cup, Western Province stays at the summit on 20 points, with the Dolphins just two points behind. The defending champions, the Dragons, remain winless after five matches and at the foot of the Top Six table.

In Potchefstroom, the Badgers won the toss and elected to bowl first. The Dragons accepted that challenge and wicketkeeper batter Cilliers led from the front as her top-order teammates struggled around her before a crucial stand with the experienced Masabata Klaas (34) propelled the hosts to a competitive 227 / 7.

Captain Haroline Rhodes (2 / 61) was the pick of the bowlers for the team from Oudtshoorn.

With the bat, the Badgers – inspired by their in-form opener in Brits – showed their strength as a batting unit, going on to make it look seemingly easy out in the middle, with the tall opener smashing 14 fours and two sixes on her way to a match-winning knock to help secure a convincing result and solidify the newly promoted side’s spot in midtable.

In Johannesburg, the home team were once again put into bat as the Lions got off to a strong start at the crease, including a second-wicket partnership between Kristie Thomson (49) and Thabethe worth 67 runs. The Lions’ efforts with the willow were strengthened by vital middle-order contributions from R. Kamerman (34) and Kgomotso Rapoo (33) as they posted 236 / 7 after their 50 overs.

In response, the Titans innings trended along a similar path as their top-order, including Jenna Searle (38) and half-centurions Luus and Robyn Searle starred to get to 171 / 3 before Lehlohonolo Sardick’s figures of three for 29 and Ayabonga Khaka’s 2 / 31 helped the Lions pick up the next five wickets for just 45 runs.

With the match heading to a thrilling finish, the heavens opened up over Johannesburg and the match was temporarily halted before the players returned later in the afternoon. Despite their best efforts, the target proved to be a bridge too far as the Titans fell six runs short, ending on 230 / 9.

In the third Division One match of the weekend, the undefeated Western Province outfit won the toss and asked the Dolphins to the score before Nosipho Vezi (3 / 30) and skipper Leah Jones (2 / 28) ripped through the home side’s batting order. The Dolphins had allrounder Nondumiso Shangase’s 56 off 77 as well as Nonkululeko Mlaba’s 38-ball 47 to thank for carrying their team to 185 all out after 49.4 overs.

The second innings failed to get underway as the overhead conditions had the final say before the match was eventually called off as the two sides split the four points on offer.

The domestic action continues on Sunday in the CSA Women’s T20 Cup, with all the matches streamed live via the CSA YouTube Channel from 09h30.

CSA Women’s Provincial One-Day Cup

WEEK 7 RESULTS

DP World Lions beat Fidelity Titans by 6 runs

DP World Lions: 236/7 after 50 overs; N. Thabethe 65 (123), K. Thomson 49 (58); S. Luus 2/35, N. Coetzer 2/45

Fidelity Titans: 230 / 9 after 50 overs; R. Searle 58 (87), S. Luus 52 (57); L. Sardick 3 / 29, A. Khaka 2 / 31

Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers beat North West Dragon by 7 wickets

North West Dragons: 227 / 7 after 50 overs; I. Cilliers 121* (151), M. Klaas 34 (43); H. Rhodes 2 / 61, M. Andrews 1/29

Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers: 228 / 3 after 39.2 overs; T. Brits 134* (115), B. Figeland 34 (67); Z. Mali 2 / 44, E. Yekile 1 /47

Match Abandoned

Hollywoodbets Dolphins: 185 all out after 49.4 overs; N. Shangase 56 (77), N. Mlaba 47 (38); N. Vezi 3 / 30, L. Jones 2 / 28

Six Gun Grill Western Province: DNB

WEEK 7 FIXTURES:

CSA Women’s Provincial T20 Cup:

09h30 SAST – Hollywoodbets Dolphins v Six Gun Grill Western Province (Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium)

10h00 SAST – North West Dragons v Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers (Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom)

14h30 SAST – DP World Lions v Fidelity Titans (DP World Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg)