Experienced allrounder Dané van Niekerk starred with both bat and ball as she helped inspire her Starlights side to a comprehensive opening day victory in the fourth edition of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Women’s T20 Super League at the Six Gun Grill Newlands Stadium on Monday.
Van Niekerk stood tall with an unbeaten 50 off 47, including nine fours as the Starlights successfully chased down SA U19 Women’s total of 82/7 after 20 overs following Karabo Meso’s 39-ball 36 (4 fours).
After helping restrict the rising stars to a below-par score, led by Khayakazi Mathe (2-7) and Van Niekerk’s (2-13) performance with the ball, the South African and Starlights skipper made light work of the chase as her side reached the target with 6.5 overs to spare.
#WSL4 RESULT ??#Starlights captain Dane van Niekerk's unbeaten 5?0? guides her side to a 9?-wicket victory over #SAW19 in the opening match of the day#BePartOfIt #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/ynEeyW01em
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) December 12, 2022
In the second match of the day, Momentum Proteas fast bowler and reigning CSA Player and Player’s Player of the Year, Ayabonga Khaka led the charge for the Coronations with impressive figures of 3-15 to leave the Thistles reeling on 89/8 after their allotted overs.
#WSL4
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) December 12, 2022
Ayabonga Khaka led from the front with the ball, claiming 3/15 as the #Coronations restricted the #Thistles to 8?9?/8?
Catch it LIVE here ?? https://t.co/yOczsSlgxk
Scorecard https://t.co/V5R4o37uus#BePartOfIt #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/XcYa9hETSw
Three deliveries into the second innings, the heavens opened up over the majestic Newlands ground before persistent rain meant the Coronation-Thistles clash ended with a no result.
The overhead conditions failed to improve through the course of the afternoon before the umpires and organisers abandoned the final encounter of the day between the Thistles and Starlights.
The WSL 4.0 action will continue on Tuesday, 13 December with three more tantalising fixtures.
Day 1 Scores:
Starlights beat SA U19 Women by 9 wickets
SA U19 Women: 82 / 7 after 20 overs; K. Meso 36* (39), E. Janse van Rensburg 15 (25); K. Mathe 2 / 7, D. van Niekerk 2 / 13
Starlights: 83 / 1 after 13.1 overs; D. van Niekerk 50* (47), I. Cilliers 27* (24); R. Moncho 1 / 12, K. Reyneke 0 / 9
No Result
Thistles: 89 / 8 after 20 overs; M. Andrews 19 (31), F. Tunnicliffe 13 (14); A. Khaka 3 / 15, N. de Klerk 2 / 16
Coronations: 1 / 0 after 0.3 overs; L. Goodall 1* (2), K. Thomson 0* (1); E. Marx 0 / 0
WSL 4.0 Fixtures at Six Gun Grill Newlands Cricket Ground: (All times CAT, SA, GMT+2)
Tuesday, 13 December
9am– Starlights v Coronations
12:25pm– Thistles v SA U19
3:30pm– Coronations v SA U19
Thursday, 15 December
9am– Thistles v Coronations
12:25pm – Starlights v Thistles
3:30pm – SA U19 v Starlights
Friday, 16 December
9am – SA U19 v Thistles
12:25pm – SA U19 v Coronations
3:30pm – Coronations v Starlights