Brilliant Brits the hero as Badgers women knock over Dolphins

The Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers women’s team has concluded the 2022/23 season with another impressive 55-run bonus-point victory against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins on Saturday.

With this victory the Badgers ended in an impressive third position on the final log in their first season in the top tier of the Cricket South Africa Top 6 women’s limited over competition. The Badgers were also victorious with six-wicket victory in the T20 encounter on Sunday.

The Dolphins needed a bonus-point win to have any chance of usurping the log-leaders, Western Province, but the Garden Route Badgers had other ideas though, as Tazmin Brits and Jané Winster (5-25 in 10 overs) starred with bat and ball respectively, to propel the home side to victory.

At the Six Gun Grill Recreation Ground, the Dolphins won the toss and chose to bowl first knowing that a bonus-point run chase could keep them in the title picture before Proteas opening batter Brits continued her fine form at the crease to record a 74-ball 98 (11 fours, 4 sixes) to strike a blow to the Dolphins’ hopes. The opening stand between Brits and Amber Botha (22) was 77 from 103 balls (58 minutes).

Brits’s knock, coupled with late cameos from Jané Winster (20*) and Khayakazi Mathe (17*) took the Badgers to 225/8 after their allotted 50 overs before Winster returned with ball in hand to pick up four wickets for 25 runs as the Dolphins were dismissed for 170.

Dolphins captain, Nondumiso Shangase, top-scored with a valiant 65* off 86 balls but could not prevent defeat as they remain in second place.

In the T20 match on Sunday the Dolphins won the toss and were soon in deep trouble at 7/2 but a 93-run partnership for the third wicket between Alexandra Candler (35 from 43 balls, 1x6) and the skipper Nodumiso Shangase (59 from 53 balls; 1x6, 4x4) took the visitors to 127/6.

Brits, who carried the bat through the innings, single handily took the Badgers over the line with an unbeaten 82* (from 50 balls; 6x6, 6x4) as they surpassed the target – 128/4 with one ball to spare – for a six-wicket victory.

SUMMARISED SCORED CARDS

LIMITED-OVER MATCH

GARDEN ROUTE BADGERS 225/8 - 50 overs (Tazmin Brits 98, Amber Botha 22, Miceala Andrews 27, Jané Winster 20 (Ayanda Hlubi 2/49, Jade de Figueredo 3/38)

DOLPHINS 170 all out – 43.4 overs (Nondumiso Shangase 65, Jané Winster 4/25, Julandi Saayman 2/16) Garden Route Badgers won by 55 runs

T20 MATCH

DOLPHINS 127/6 – 20 overs (Alexandra Candler 35, Nodumiso Shangase 59, Pelokozi Majamba 2/19)

GARDEN ROUTE BADGERS 128/4 – 19.5 overs (Tazmin Brits 82*, Ayanda Hlubi 2/14)

Garden Route Badgers won 6 wickets.