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Today its four time World Cup Winners England against double bridesmaids South Africa. Not only have the Proteas lost their last the last two World Cup semi – finals, on both occasions it was to today’s opponents. The bitter taste from Bristol in 2017 and Christchurch 2022 will still linger for South Africa, even if partially offset by their WT20 semi final victory on home Newlands turf in 2023.
The Proteas class of ’25 boasts 4 who fell agonisingly short in 2017 and 6 who crumpled in Christchurch. England have 3 and 8 who will draw inspiration not just from those wins but also from their more recent 4 victories out of 5 against the Proteas.
This is only the 2nd Women’s ODI at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The first was this World Cup opener that saw India post 269 for 8 off 47 overs to beat co-hosts Sril Lanka. Not a lot of history there to tell us what to expect in terms of the pitch, but plenty of history to motivate both today’s teams as they kick start their World Cup campaigns.
Buckle up, it could be an exciting ride.
Complete dominance and excellent from England. Not surprisingly Linsey Smith gets the player of the match award. Her two early wickets put South Africa right on the back foot and she added a third to boot. Three for seven for her, but all England’s attack were lethal. Two each for Sciver-Brunt, Ecclestone and Dean and one for Bell, before Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones looked assured in strolling England home.
South Africa will need to regroup. But never write them off. England look in great touch.
A lovely little Tammy tickle to fine leg completes the job.
That was dominant from England and a real walloping for the Proteas.
England win by 10 wickets. If this was the men, they’d probably be eyeing up a trip to the driving range for a spot of golf practice now.
Both teams will know that it’s a long tournament though and one win or loss doesn’t make you the champion or not.
Beaumont nutmegs bowler Klaas, but its just a single. Amy Jones then nurdles one through square. England happy to do it one at a time. Two wides help as well.
Another single brings the scores level.
Thump. Mighty, meaty, big and just once bouncy as Amy Jones clomps Khaka not once but twice to the square leg boundary.
England just 6 away. Start Bumble’s famous car.
DROPPED! Bowler Klaas gets a solid hand to a return catch but down it goes. It will hardly affect the result, but she won’t be happy at all with that .
Mlaba continues. Oh Lord. More sloppy offside fielding as point and backward point flop like a pair of landed fishes and miss the ball. It was lovely cut from Jones though. And she piles on a bit more misery for South Africa with a lovely lofted on drive. England accelerating now.
Well by Power Play standards England are hardly racing are they. But let’s be honest, they don’t need to and that net run rate will look tidy enough and they are already over half way to the target without loss.
A muscley on drive brings two more more for Amy Jones.
Laura Wolvaardt rings the bowling changes and Mlaba does nicely too. Just a couple of leg byes as England stay patient.
Masabata Klaas into the attack to take on mission impossible for South Africa. It’s a decent over too. but England edge onwards.
Kapp keeps things tight to Amy Jones who defends patiently. Really classy from the the bowler showing all her experience. Another ropey bit of fielding concedes a single though and Jones will keep the strike.
The ball seems to have soap on it if the South African cover fielding is anything to go by.
England need 40 runs in 43 overs
A crunching cover drive from Amy Jones evades not one but two diving fielders and finds the boundary.
Chloe Tryon responds with two beauties though.
Ooooh! A lovely ball from Kapp and Tammy swings and misses. Calm down lass, there isn’t a fire.
REVIEW: Kapp wants Beaumont LBW. It looked like Tammy was outside the line to me and did to the on field umpire too. Nothing to see and move on.
A bit of sloppy fielding at cover and a leg side wide spoil an otherwise decent Tryon over.
Frugal from Kapp. She’s dug her team out of holes before. But never one this deep.
Tammy Beaumont makes that hole a little deeper off the last ball, pulling through leg for a boundary.
Slow left arm spin straight away for the Proteas. And Chloe Tryon nearly tempts Beaumont who is not quite to the pitch of a fligher outside off. She gets away with a boundary just evading a diving cover though,
4 Wides! Not what you need defending 70. Oh Dear.
Tammy Beaumont’s not been in the greatest touch lately ODI wise. She’s first up to face Marizanne Kapp. And glides an easy single to third to get underway.
Oh I say! A beauty from Kapp angles in and shapes away from Amy Jones That was close, but England’s keeper is off the mark next ball.
Unlikely, but game face on and give it a go. We’re off for England’s chase.
A superb bowling performance from England. On the money from the off.
There was enough in the air and on the pitch to offer some help, but South Africa really did look like the proverbial rabbit (or should that be springbok) in headlights.
Still, South Africa have a very decent attack. But they are going to need Wonder Woman, Bat Girl, Super Woman and the She Hulk to get out of this mess.
Stay tuned to this channel folks!
Well that, as they say, is that. It’s Dean again. Another bit of lovely flight and a wild swing to leg from Nonkululeko Mlaba missed it by a country mile. Back goes that off peg and not for the first time today.
South Africa have been bundled out for 69.
Teasing from Sophie. She seems to have found a lovely groove. But the last South Africa pair of Khaka and Mlaba don’t want to give up without a fight.
Can Charlie Dean finish the job here?
Not off that 3rd ball. A classy cover drive from Ayabonga Khaka for 4.
Nine down. Held back just enough by Sophie Ecclestone and back goes Sinalo Jafta’s off peg. A wicket maiden for England’s prime spinner.
Wasn’t ‘The Dean and I’ a song by 10CC? ‘Hum drum daysAnd a hum drum ways’. BUT NOTHING HUM DRUM FOR CHARLIE! Now she has her first wicket. She’s fired one though Klass and SA are 8 down.
Ooh! that 4th ball was an absolute pearler. But Jafta survives.
Charlie Dean gets a chance to join the party for England. Jafta and Klaas solid. A boundary off the fifth delivery though as Jafta lofts over mid off. Tantalisingly close to Ecclestone who is tall, but not quite tall enough.
