DAY 1: Tons from Bouchier, Sciver-Brunt boost England

Superb centuries from Maia Bouchier and Nat Sciver-Brunt helped England dominate the first day of the one-off test against South Africa at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

But South Africa can at least be satisfied that they won the final session, claiming the last six England wickets for 103 before openers Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch survived the six overs they had to face as the home team finished on 17 without loss after England had piled up 395 for nine declared in their first knock.

Skipper Heather Knight won the toss and had no hesitation in choosing to bat first on a well-grassed pitch at a blustery Mangaung Oval. Wolvaardt confirmed that she would have batted too if she had been able.

The England innings began solidly with Bouchier sharing half-century partnerships with Tammy Beaumont (21) and Heather Knight (21) as England went into lunch on 103 for one wicket.

South Africa’s bowlers were loose in their disciplines to start with, offering boundary balls almost every over for at least the first hour of play. Thereafter they tightened up, particularly after pace bowler Ayanda Hlubi induced Beaumont to cloth a pull to Sune Luus at midwicket.

Bouchier, making her test debut, was elegance personified in her innings, driving beautifully, particularly on the on side. She had two moments of luck, when she might have been run out after a misunderstanding with Beaumont, and when she went to her 50 with a hooked six that Marizanne Kapp might have caught on the square-leg boundary.

The home team started the second session deceptively well with Tumi Sekhukhane trapping Knight leg before with a delivery that drifted into her, striking her plumb in front.

Day 1 | Stumps ⚪️🟢

An exciting first days play for both teams!😃🏏

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿England: 395/9 after 92 overs, declared (1st innings)
🇿🇦South Africa: 17/0 after 6 overs (1st Innings)#AlwaysRising #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #SAvENG pic.twitter.com/zM2n0fpPPF

— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) December 15, 2024

The match seemed on an even keel at that stage, but the tide turned in England’s favour with a vengeance when the South African spinners, principally Nonkululeko Mlaba, started bowling. The left-arm spinner, such a hero in the T20 World Cup, has looked short of rhythm throughout this England tour, and she repeatedly bowled way too short. Altogether the spinners bowled 10 overs for 80 runs during the session in which England plundered 189 runs in 33 overs. Well though Bouchier and Sciver-Brunt played, they were given too many freebies and were therefore able to score at six to the over without taking any risks.

Mlaba then turned her performance around when she changed ends and bowled with the wind behind her. Almost immediately she improved, bowling a better line and certainly a fuller length.

Her first victim was Bouchier, well caught at slip by Luus when she edged a drive to a ball that was floated up and turned. The 26-year-old departed for an excellent 126 in 154 balls, including 22 fours and two sixes.

Mlaba, encouraged by her big wicket, then had Danni Wyatt-Hodge caught behind after she delivered the perfect ball, pitched on a length and leaving the right-hander. There was then a brief relaxation of the grip of the spinners as Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones (39) added a brisk 76 for the fifth wicket before Sciver-Brunt was unlucky to be run out when Mlaba touched a drive from Jones onto the stumps with the batter out of her ground. Her 128 in 145 balls – her second test century – included 18 fours and was a thoroughly commanding innings.

Thereafter Mlaba grabbed two more wickets, Jones – who holed out into the deep – and Charlier Dean – who played on – as she finished with a test career best of 4/90 in 20 overs. She is a serious talent, and if she can learn to bowl more consistently she will be a real weapon for her country.

The second new ball, taken 10 overs after it was due, was finally taken and Kapp and then Hlubi claimed cheap wickets before the declaration which left the South African openers a worrisome six overs to survive, a task they performed more than adequately with Wolvaardt even unleashing one of her glamorous cover drives.

SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Tumi Sekhukhune, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayanda Hlubi

ENGLAND: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight (capt). Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Amy Jones (wk), Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell.