Marizanne Kapp struck a record-breaking century on the opening day of the once-off test clash between the Momentum Proteas and England at the County Ground in Taunton on Monday, with the visitors ending the day’s play on 284 all out after 91.4 overs.
The star allrounder dispatched an incredible 26 boundaries on her way to 150 off 213 deliveries, to help save South Africa’s blushes after they found themselves 45-5 earlier in the day, with Kapp supported superbly in a half-century stand alongside Anneke Bosch (30).
Kapp’s knock meant that she became only the second South African to score a test century since readmission, while also producing the highest individual score in Proteas Women’s test history.
A superb century for @kappie777 ??
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 27, 2022
Scorecard & Videos: https://t.co/j2vpS7MUpb
?????????????? #ENGvSA ???? pic.twitter.com/Gr9TWigiaT
Raise your bat for the highest individual Test score by a South African woman batter - @kappie777 ??#ENGvSA #AlwaysRising #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/sQ1nXI0aq3
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) June 27, 2022
England’s protagonist with the ball was Kate Cross with figures of 4-63 in her 17.4 overs, while Lauren Bell took two wickets for 47, with Nat Sciver (1-29), Sophie Ecclestone (1-33) and Alice Davidson-Richards (1-39), as well as Issy Wong (1-54), all picking up one wicket apiece.
After winning the toss and sending the Proteas Women into bat, England made early inroads into their opposition’s batting order as the top-order featuring Andrie Steyn (8), Laura Wolvaardt (16) and Lara Goodall (10) as well as Lizelle Lee (0) were dismissed in the first session.
Captain Suné Luus (27) and Kapp managed to add 44 runs for the fifth wicket to take South Africa into the lunch break before the former became Cross’s second victim of the day.
The all-round pair of Kapp and Bosch, after gaining more confidence at the crease, then proceeded to take the attack to the English side, eloquently driving the ball to different parts of the ground to bring up a partnership worth 72 runs before Bosch was removed.
Despite losing partners in Nadine de Klerk (9) and Sinalo Jafta (4), Kapp continued to show her prowess in the middle, going on to steer a 49-run stand with Tumi Sekhukhune (9*) before she was eventually dismissed after Beaumont grabbed a scintillating catch at mid-off off the bowling of Bell.
Sekhukhune and Nonkululeko Mlaba (8) managed to survive for a further five overs as the latter fell on what became the last delivery of the day, with play going past 6pm local time.
Day two of the contest gets under way on Tuesday, 28 June from 12 noon CAT (SA, GMT+2) with England beginning their first innings.
ENGLAND WOMEN: Tammy Beaumont, Emma Lamb, Heather Knight (capt), Natalie Sciver, Sophia Dunkley, Amy Jones (wk), Alice Davidson Richards, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross, Lauren Bell, Isabelle Wong
SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN: Laura Wolvaardt, Andrie Steyn, Lara Goodall, Sune Luus (capt), Lizelle Lee, Marizanne Kapp, Anne Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Tumi Sekhukhune, Nonkululeko Mlaba