An unbeaten 78 from Lizelle Lee after a clinical performance from South Africa’s attack sealed an unassailable 3-0 lead for the tourists in their five-match women’s ODI series against West Indies at the Coolidge Cricket Ground here on Tuesday (IST).
Electing to field first, South Africa bowled West Indies out for 157, with Rashada Williams (37) and Deandra Dottin (71) the only batters to reach double digits. A 122-run stand between Lee and Laura Wolvaardt (53) then put to rest any hopes of a West Indies victory as South Africa ran away as eight-wicket victors with 13.2 overs to spare.
“I think the batters need to step up and make some runs for us,” West Indies stand-in captain Anisa Mohammad said. “157 runs in a 50-over game… you’re only going at three runs per over which is easy pickings for a team like South Africa. I thought Williams and Dottin played really well today but again, they need that support… a couple others to step up and stay there with them.”
Anisa added, “A lot of people have been saying that South Africa have gone past us but I keep saying to the team I don’t believe that. I believe that we’re just not playing our best cricket, look back at the third T20I and South Africa weren’t able to beat us, so if we come out here on a game day and play our best cricket, South Africa is not going to beat us.”
South Africa had West Indies under pressure from the start as Shabnim Ismail (3/31) removed Hayley Matthews (2) in the third over and Marizanne Kapp (1/30) accounted for Chedean Nation (1) in the sixth to leave the hosts at 9/2. West Indies enjoyed their best period of the game from there as Williams and Dottin combined in a 77-run stand to rebuild the innings before Williams perished to Sune Luus (2/25) in the 30th over.
Needing less than three-and-a-half an over to win from there, South Africa’s openers reached the target with ease. Wolvaardt played the more aggressive hand of the duo, making 53 off 68 before falling to Joesph (2/24) with South Africa just 36 runs away from victory. Joseph struck against to remove Luus (2) but in the company of captain Dane van Niekerk (18 not out), Lee took South Africa home, finishing unbeaten on 78 off 120.
The two teams next meet on September 16.
Brief scores: West Indies Women 157 in 48.4 overs (R Williams 37, D Dottin 71; S Ismail 3/31) lost to South Africa 158/2 in 36.4 overs (L Lee 78 not out, L Wolvaardt 53) by 8 wickets.
