South Africa bounced back from their humiliating defeat by England as Tazmin Brits’ stunning century helped the Proteas defeat New Zealand by six wickets at the Women’s World Cup.
All out for 69 in a 10-wicket defeat by Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side on Friday, South Africa restricted New Zealand to 231 in 47.5 overs thanks to 4-40 from slow left-armer Nonkululeko Mlaba.
While captain Laura Wolvaardt was dismissed in the third over of the reply, fellow opener Brits was not so charitable as she soared to an 87-ball hundred, out two balls later for 101 in Indore.
Sune Luus’ unbeaten 83 made sure South Africa got over the line with more than nine overs to spare to leave the White Ferns nursing back-to-back defeats, having begun their campaign by losing to Australia.
Nonkululeko Mlaba finished with bowling figures of 4-40 in the win
In a game filled with milestones, Marizanne Kapp, who became South Africa Women’s most-capped player in ODIs, dismissed Suzie Bates, on her 350th international appearance, for a first-ball duck.
Opener Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr slowly played their way into the game, but with pressure mounting, Kerr sliced a Nadine de Klerk delivery that was caught by a diving Luus.
Kerr was out for 23 from 42 balls, with Plimmer unable to push on her strike rate once joined at the crease by Devine as Plimmer departed for 31 from 68, having been caught by De Klerk on the boundary.
Devine, on her 300th White Ferns appearance, gave New Zealand impetus, and that was matched by her new partner at the crease, Brooke Halliday.
The 36-year-old playing in her final World Cup reached 50 off 66 balls, and as Halliday neared hers, South Africa missed a run-out chance with Sinalo Jafta unable to take the ball cleanly.
With the pressure on the Proteas, Halliday mishit a Mlaba delivery, with the spinner safely catching a high ball to break the 86-run partnership and see the all-rounder dismissed for 45.
Mlaba got her second as Anneke Bosch took a stunning catch to dismiss Maddy Green for four before Izzy Gaze was run out for 10.
Just as Devine looked like she might hit her second century in a row, she misread a Mlaba delivery and was bowled for 85 from 98 balls.
South Africa sensed an opportunity and took it as Ayabonga Khaka got Jess Kerr out for two before Laura Wolvaardt took the pick of the catches, sticking out a hand while in midair to dismiss Lea Tahuhu for Mlaba’s fourth wicket.
New Zealand’s unravelling ended with Eden Carson being run out to see the White Ferns set South Africa 232 to win, having lost their last seven wickets for 44 runs.
In reply, South Africa started positively as Wolvaardt took three fours off Jess Kerr, but the pace bowler responded by dismissing the captain LBW for 14.
Despite Wolvaardt’s early departure, Tazmin Brits and Luus played positively and ensured the Proteas passed 69, the total they made against England, in the 13th over as Luus hit the first six of the match.
That almost seemed to mark the acceleration point of South Africa’s chase as they took 11 off the next over before Brits brought up her fastest ODI fifty with 51 runs in 44 balls.
Luus and Brits passed 103 together for the biggest partnership of the World Cup so far and survived New Zealand’s short-lived attempt to limit their run scoring.
Former skipper Luus passed 50 for the 16th time, and the milestones kept coming as with 133 runs, her and Brits’ partnership became the record for South Africa in a World Cup.
Brits continued her remarkable year with a seventh ODI century, and her first at World Cups, before finally being dismissed by Tahuhu for 101.
There was a small wobble as Kapp and Bosch departed in the space of 10 balls, but Luus was there to see South Africa home, ending on 81 not out.
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