South Africa Women Struggle Against Australia's Bowling

DRINKS BREAK. 36 balls bowled. Laura Wolvaardt, South Africa's best batter, has just faced 10 of those. But more concerningly, the Proteas have lost two big wickets en route their rebuild. Nadine De Klerk has been promoted and has displayed a positive intent to keep the scorecard moving. Australia, on the other hand, have been near-flawless with the ball so far, but will have to keep chipping away at the wickets to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals. South Africa Women need 130 runs in 84 balls and they need a big partnership to steady things up. But the awkward bounce and the slowness of the wicket is not that easy to deal with, especially for the new batters. Now then, Georgia Wareham is brought into the attack. She replaces Alana King.

Overs5.3

Score39 - 2

Annabel Sutherland to Nadine De Klerk, Short and outside off, another slower one. De Klerk reads it as a bouncer and sways away, but it doesn't get up as much as expected and fails to carry through to Mooney, who can't collect it cleanly off the awkward bounce. It is parried behind for a bye.

Overs4.3

Score30 - 2

Alana King to Nadine De Klerk, DROPPED AND SIX! That should have been taken as it was a routine chance! Gardner is the guilty party. Flighted up, on off, Nadine De Klerk gets low and looks to sweep it but doesn't get the elevation on it. The ball carries in the deep towards mid-wicket. Ashleigh Gardner settles near the fence only to parry it over the fence. Gardner has taken some of the best chances in the field, so it's a shocking drop from her.

Overs3.6

Score22 - 2

Kim Garth to Laura Wolvaardt, FOUR! Streaky boundary for Laura Wolvaardt but she wouldn't mind the way it comes as long as it comes. On a length, around off, shaping away from the batter. Laura Wolvaardt looks to flick across the line but gets lucky to get an outside edge that flies behind square on the off side towards the third man region for four runs.

Overs3.2

Score17 - 2

Kim Garth to Nadine De Klerk, Full and down the leg side, Nadine De Klerk goes for a paddle sweep but misses. This was not that wide, even being down the leg side and the umpire kept her arms down.

Overs3.1

Score17 - 2

Kim Garth to Laura Wolvaardt, Laura's off-side game is a treat to watch for all. Back of a length, around off, Laura Wolvaardt gets up on her toes and punches this off her back foot towards sweeper cover for one.

Overs2.5

Score16 - 2

Sophie Molineux to Nadine De Klerk, SIX! This has travelled the distance. Flighted, around off, Nadine De Klerk takes a long stride out in front, sweeps this aerially with an intention to clear the fence and she does that with ease. The fielder at deep square leg was ball-watching as this one cleared the fence to her left.

Overs1.6

Score9 - 2

Kim Garth to Nadine De Klerk, Kim goes full again, bowls it around off, Nadine De Klerk drives this to sweeper cover for a couple. A slight misfield by Megan Schutt at sweeper cover and this could have been four, but she recovers well and flicks this ball back inside the playing area just in time. Two runs taken.

W

Overs1.5

Score7 - 2

Kim Garth to Annerie Dercksen, OUT! BOWLED'EM! Kim Garth comes back in the best possible way by dismissing Annerie Dercksen. Kim drags her length back, bowls it on a good length and keeps it in the line of the stumps. Annerie Dercksen gets beaten to the pace as she brings her bat down and the ball hits her front pad and deflects onto the top of off, rattling the timber.

Mel Jones informs on air that Phoebe Litchfield is off the field for now. Not quite sure who the sub fielder is in for her. Nasser Hussain reckons it could be down to the blow Litchfield took on her shoulder while batting in the first innings.

Overs1.4

Score7 - 1

Kim Garth to Annerie Dercksen, FOUR! This is a classy shot from Annerie Dercksen. Slightly pitched-up delivery, around off, Annerie Dercksen steps down the track and offers a full face of her bat to loft this over the bowler for a boundary down in front of the sight screen.

W

Overs0.6

Score2 - 1

Sophie Molineux to Sune Luus, OUT! LBW! Sophie strikes in the very first over and South Africa Women are at 2 for 1. Sophie uses the width of the crease, goes a tad wide as she bowls it with a slightly round-arm action. Keeps the ball in line with the sticks and bowls this around that nagging length. Sune Luus rocks back and swipes across the line but misses and gets hit on her back pad. A loud appeal and the umpire acknowledges it by raising her finger. Luus walks back without reviewing.

Overs0.5

Score2 - 0

Sophie Molineux to Laura Wolvaardt, Quicker and flatter, down the leg side. Laura Wolvaardt comes inside the ine of the ball and helps this towards the right of the short fine leg fielder for a single.