Alexandra Candler and Simone Lourens starred with bat and ball to lead South Africa Emerging Women to a dominant eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh Emerging Women in the third and final T20 on Sunday.
The result sealed a 2-1 series win for South Africa, capping off a successful tour of the subcontinent with triumphs in both the T20 and 50-over formats.
Candler delivered a superb all-round performance. First, she returned impressive bowling figures of three for 22, helping to restrict the hosts to 117/7 in their 20 overs. The Hollywoodbets Dolphins allrounder then anchored the chase with a composed 30 from 39 balls, sharing crucial partnerships with Faye Tunnicliffe (30) and top-scorer Lourens (40), as the tourists reached the target with 10 balls to spare.
Having won the toss, SA Emerging opted to bowl first, a decision that paid off immediately. Offspinner Delmi Tucker (2/19) struck with the third ball of the innings, dismissing Shathi Rani for a duck. Kgomotso Rapoo (1/16) followed up by removing Sumaiya Akther (7), leaving Bangladesh reeling at 25/2 after five overs.
The home side found some stability through key contributions from Rubya Haider (27), captain Sarmin Sultana (36), and Afia Ashima (18), who guided them closer to the 100-run mark. But as Bangladesh began to settle, Candler and Tucker combined to remove Haider and Ashima, reducing the hosts to 93/4 by the 17th over.
With South Africa’s tails up in the field, Candler picked up two quick wickets to make further inroads as Sultana and Farjana Easmin (0) departed, before Shorna Akter added a valuable 11-ball 19 to propel Bangladesh to 117/7 with Akter the last wicket to fall.
In response, SA Emerging Women got off to a flying start through openers Tunnicliffe and Candler, who compiled a 62-run partnership to lay a solid foundation for the chase. Nishita Nishi (1/27) finally broke the stand in the 10th over by removing Tunnicliffe.
The departure of Tunnicliffe did little to slow down the South African charge as Lourens entered the fray, adding 26 runs with Candler before steering a decisive 33-run partnership with Jenna Evans (9*) to seal the emphatic win over Bangladesh within 18.2 overs.
SA EMERGING WOMEN’S SQUAD AGAINST BANGLADESH EMERGING
Leah Jones (T20 captain, World Sports Betting Western Province), Kgomotso Rapoo (50-over captain, DP World Lions), Alexandra Candler (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Nicole De Klerk (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Jenna Evans (DP World Lions), Ghandi Jafta (Fidelity Titans), Zintle Kula (Knights), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Mona Lisa Legodi (Fidelity Titans), Simone Lourens (Fidelity Titans), Luyanda Nzuza (Knights), Verunissa Reddy (Knights), Nonkululeko Thabethe (DP World Lions), Delmi Tucker (World Sports Betting Western Province) and Faye Tunnicliffe (World Sports Betting Western Province).
MANAGEMENT
Dinesha Davnarain (Head Coach), Marcia Letsoalo (Manager), Claire Terblanche (Batting Coach), Angelique Taai (Bowling Coach), Yolandi van der Westhuizen (Fielding Coach), Dr Dhavina Naidoo-Jewkes (Team Doctor), Stacey-lee Hercules (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Tshepi Letsholo (Physiotherapist) and Adele van Eck (Team Analyst).