A devastating all-round display from Marizanne Kapp has powered South Africa to a historic 84-run ODI win over Australia, with the hosts now sweating on the fitness of Ash Gardner who battled hamstring tightness and is in doubt for next week’s one-off Test in Perth.
A week after she claimed her second Belinda Clark Award in three years, Gardner was forced to come off midway through South Africa’s innings having already picked up two wickets as the visitors reached 6/229 after a couple of rain delays which left the hosts chasing a revised target of 234 from 45 overs.
The big-hitting all-rounder who has made a habit of smashing huge scores at North Sydney Oval was listed to come in at six but slid down the order to eight as wickets tumbled in the middle.
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She whacked her first ball to the boundary and combined with Kim Garth (42 not out) for the highest ever ninth-wicket partnership in women’s ODIs (77) before she was eventually caught behind for a brave 35.
The pair saved Australia from what looked set to be a record-breaking defeat when they slumped to 8-71, with Gardner moving fairly well in spite of her discomfort.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs South Africa second ODI scorecard
With Australia clinging onto a 6-4 lead in the multi-format series, selectors won’t want to risk Gardner with the lone Test to begin next Thursday which is worth four points.
Teammate Ellyse Perry also battled a stomach bug on Wednesday and didn’t look herself when she came out to bat having bowled just two overs in front of a very disappointing mid-week crowd.
GOLDEN KAPP
She was forced to retire hurt during the first ODI after she copped a stray throw to the elbow, but you wouldn’t have known as Kapp destroyed the Aussies with one of the great individual performances.
Kapp has been one of the most dominant forces in the WBBL and showed her class on Wednesday with a crucial knock of 75 which she then backed up with a stunning opening spell that rocked Australia’s top order.
The South African quick removed openers Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield but saved her best for Beth Mooney who had her middle stump rocked back as Kapp claimed the extraordinary figures of 3-7 from her opening four overs.
Her incredible effort helped South Africa beat Australia in an ODI for the first time, while this was Australia’s first loss at North Sydney in 15 years, with the sides to face off at the same venue on Saturday.
A FINE DROP
The Aussies rarely get things wrong in the field but they were well below par with some of their biggest names coming up with some costly drops in slippery Sydney conditions.
While Mooney held onto a screamer to remove Laura Wolvaardt in the first over, her teammates combined for five dropped catches which allowed South Africa to more than double what they got in the first ODI.
Ellyse Perry was guilty of a rare drop when she put Anneke Bosch down on one, with the first drop making the most of her life and an overturned LBW decision to score 44.
Georgia Wareham then put down an absolute sitter when Sune Luus was on two, while Alyssa Healy and Alana King also spilled regulation chances.
There was one highlight in the field with Healy holding on for her 100th dismissal behind the stumps.
