The second day of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s Super League 2022 got off to an exciting start as the Starlights clinched a riveting two-run victory against the Coronations to record their second win of the campaign in as many games.
Despite what looked like a match-winning partnership between Suné Luus (41) and Kirstie Thomson, who dispatched five fours en route a measured 51 off 52 deliveries, the Coronations were restricted to 106 for five after Masabata Klaas (1-16) defended 10 runs in the last over to seal the close win on the last ball of the game.
This, after the Starlights posted a competitive 108 for eight in their 20 overs thanks to contributions from Izel Cilliers (34*) and Tazmin Brits (31), even after allrounder Nadine de Klerk claimed impressive figures of 3-18.
In the second encounter of the day, the Tumi Sekhukhune-led Thistles side proved too strong for the SA Under-19 Women as left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba starred with an outstanding return of 3-0 to help dismantle the rising stars 46 all out after 15.5 overs.
In reply, Olympic silver medallist in the javelin Sunette Viljoen-Louw led the charge with an unbeaten 29-ball 31 alongside Andrie Steyn (17*) to help the Thistles record a commanding 10-wicket triumph over the SA U19s.
The under-19s were then in action again in the final clash of the day as they went up against the Coronations. The future stars won the toss and elected to field first, with the more experienced outfit going on to put up the highest total of the week with 112 for four after their allotted overs thanks to knocks from Momentum Proteas duo de Klerk (31) and Luus (25*).
Young legspinner Seshnie Naidu (2-14) was the standout bowler for the SA U19s.
With the ball, the Coronations flexed their muscles as they overpowered the youth national side to dismiss them for 78 all out after 20 overs, with a late cameo from Caitlin Wyngaard (22*) taking the SA U19s to their best effort with the willow at the halfway mark of the competition.
Coronations’ Tabitha le Grange (3-15) was the chief protagonist with the ball for her side.
The WSL 4.0 action resumes on Thursday, 15 December at the Six Gun Grill Newlands Cricket Ground, with every ball streamed live on the CSA YouTube Channel.
Day 2 Results:
Starlights beat Coronations by 2 runs
Starlights: 108 for eight after 20 overs; I. Cilliers 34* (36);, T. Brits 31 (31); N. de Klerk 3-23, S. Luus 2-18
Coronations: 106 for five after 20 overs; K. Thomson 51 (52), S. Luus 41 (47); M. Klaas 1-16, D van Niekerk 1-17
Thistles beat SA U19 Women by 10 wickets
SA U19 Women: 46 all out after 15.5 overs; A. Swart 13 (16), A. Hlubi 8 (12); N. Mlaba 3-0, E. Marx 2-6
Thistles: 49 for no loss after 6.5 overs; S. Viljoen-Louw 31* (29), A. Steyn 17* (12); J. Botha 0-6, S Ngubane 0 -10
Coronations beat SA U19 Women by 34 runs
Coronations: 112 for four after 20 overs; N. de Klerk 31 (29), S. Luus 25* (23); S. Naidu 2-14, K Reyneke 1-18
SA U19 Women: 78 all out after 20 overs; C. Wyngaard 22* (28), E. J.V Rensburg 15 (15); T. le Grange 3 -15, J. de Figuerido 2-8