Recent Match Report – SA Women vs WI Women 23rd Match 2021/22

Only 10.5 overs of play were possible after a delay of more than four hours

No result South Africa Women 61 for 4 (du Preez 38, Henry 3-19) vs West Indies Women

South Africa have qualified for the World Cup semi-finals after rain washed out their match against West Indies in Wellington. Only 10.5 overs were possible after a delay of more than four hours that saw play get underway after 3pm local time and South Africa were in trouble at 61 for 4. But persistent rain meant no further play was possible.

West Indies’ hopes of advancing are hanging by a thread after three losses, three wins and a no-result. If either India or England lose a match, West Indies could still advance to the knockouts, but their tournament future is now out of their control. Irrespective of the outcome of their final match against India, South Africa will qualify in second place and have avoided facing table-topping Australia in the final four.

South Africa may consider themselves lucky to have got away with the point they needed to break away from the chasing pack after they teetered on 22 for 4 in the sixth over of their rain-reduced encounter. In a match that was cut down to 26 overs a side, South Africa were on the back foot after West Indies’ opening bowlers made good use of extra bounce in the surface to dismiss their top four without any of them getting into double figures.

Laura Wolvaardt was out cheaply for the first time in the tournament when she tried to cut a wide Chinelle Henry ball through point but found a flying Deandra Dottin, who took another stunning catch. Dottin dived left and took the catch one-handed, in her right hand. Four balls later, Lizelle Lee’s torrid run continued. She tried to hit a Shamilia Connell delivery across the line and toe-ended it to midwicket. Karishma Ramharack juggled the ball but took the catch to leave Lee with no scores over 36 from five matches in the competition.

Connell could have had another off her next ball when Tazmin Brits edged it but Hayley Matthews moved too early at slip and the ball hit her wrist. In Henry’s next over, Brits was dropped at second slip as she jabbed at a ball but Dottin couldn’t hold on. Henry got her reward two balls later when she got a delivery to stick in the surface and Sune Luus lobbed it to Stafanie Taylor. Henry had an opportunity for two wickets in two balls when Mignon du Preez edged her next delivery to second slip but Dottin dropped it again. It only took until her next over for Henry to strike again, when Brits sliced her to Ramharack at cover. Henry finished with figures of 3 for 19.

du Preez and Marizanne Kapp were rebuilding the innings and scored 39 runs in 32 balls for the fifth wicket when the drizzle which had hung around throughout the day became harder, forcing the umpires to take the players off the field. du Preez managed her highest score in her last 10 ODIs and was hitting the ball on 38 not out but was unable to continue. Conditions did not improve and the match was called off after another lengthy rain delay.