Sports

Cool Kapp keeps her nerve to take South Africa over the line

Published

4 years ago

2022/03/18

Fending off the opposition with the tail, Marizanne Kapp kept her nerve in a crucial cameo of 34 to clinch a narrow two-wicket win for South Africa in a low-scoring final-over World Cup thriller against New Zealand in Hamilton on Thursday. Having made a strong comeback with the ball at the death to restrict the hosts to 228 despite a well-paced 93 from skipper Sophie Devine, South Africa themselves faced a collapse after fifties from Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus. But Kapp’s experience came to the fore, amidst regular wickets, to propel South Africa to the second spot in the points table with this fourth successive win.

Despite losing the dangerous Lizelle Lee early to a run out in a cautious start, Wolvaardt dropped anchor and forged two defining partnerships that kept the chase on track for as long as she stayed at the crease. With Tasmin Brits, she added 48 runs for the second wicket stand, after South Africa posted 33/1 from their powerplay. It was during her 88-run third-wicket partnership with Luus that South Africa seemed to be taking control and cruising in their modest chase. The pair took the team past the 100-run mark in the 25th over – same as New Zealand – before the stylish opener raised a third successive fifty in the World Cup, off 72 balls, with a drive.

The duo picked up pace soon after, taking the side to 159/2 at drinks but Amelia Kerr’s twin strikes prompted a mini collapse of 3 for 9 to turn the chase on its head. The spinner first broke through the threatening partnership by trapping Wolvaardt plumb in front of the stumps after a 94-ball 67. In the following over, she ended Mignon du Preez’s stay in her 150th ODI prematurely by having her caught behind on just 1. Luus got to her fifty right after, but also ended up sending a faint nick the keeper’s way as South Africa slipped to a precarious 170/5, needing a run-a-ball 59 thereafter.

With the equation down to 31 off 30, another mini collapse ensued when Mackay struck twice in her successive overs to take out Chloe Tryon (14) and Trisha Chetty (3). But Kapp hit back to back boundaries off Tahuhu in the interim to keep up with the asking rate. Devine brought herself back into the attack for the penultimate over when South Africa needed 14 off 12, and knocked over Ismail’s stumps with a slower one but regaining strike, Kapp found two timely boundaries to take her side over the line from a position they ideally shouldn’t have found themselves in to begin with.

Earlier in the day, Devine put on two handy partnerships – worth 81 with Amelia for the second wicket and another of 80 runs with Maddy Green for the fourth – but the hosts fluffed up the death-overs acceleration to fold for a sub-par 228 despite being in a position of strength at 198/4 when the skipper fell seven short of her second World Cup century. Credit due to the pacers, led by Ismail and Khaka, who tightened their lines and lengths, and used the slower ones to good effect to prompt a fatal collapse of 6 for 30.

Ismail forced New Zealand to rethink when she bowled Suzie Bates through the game with a ripper in just the third over after the hosts elected to bat first. Runs dried up as Devine and Amelia sought to stabalize the innings, taking New Zealand to just 30/1 after powerplay. However, erratic bowling from the visitors ensued and Devine started to free her arms more regularly. South Africa were either too short or gave too much room as Devine took full toll to push the run-rate up. Having taken 13 deliveries to open her account, Kerr also caught up and even briefly went on to out-score her captain into the 40s.

Against the run of play, though, Luus trapped Amelia lbw on 42 and three balls later Khaka had Amy Satterthwaite edging behind to leave Devine to rebuild once again. From 88/3 after 20, it took the hosts another five overs to reach triple figures while Devine raised her personal fifty, off 61 deliveries, with the second of the back to back boundaries in the same over.

The pair ticked along as New Zealand upped their scoring once again but Green’s untimely run out gave South Africa an opening going into the death overs. Devine, who marched into the 90s with a mighty slog over long-on ropes off Marizanne Kapp, was yorked by Khaka in the very next over, reducing them to 198 for 5. From there on, the South African pace battery did not let the lower-order breathe. Ismail got through the defences of Katey Martin and La Tahuhu, Kapp bounced back to claim two in two in the 46th over and Ismail polished it in the 48th with her third.

Brief scores:

New Zealand

228 all out in 47.5 overs (Sophie Devine 93, Amelia Kerr 42; Shabnim Ismail 3-27, Ayabonga Khaka 3-31) lost to South Africa 229/8 in 49.3 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 67, Sune Luus 51, Marizanne Kapp 34*; Amelia Kerr 3-50, Frances Mackay 2-49) by 2 wickets

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Sports

U19 World Cup: Zimbabwe U-19 vs Scotland U-19: Match abandoned

Published

5 hours ago

2026/01/16

Priyan

Zimbabwe, the tournament co-hosts, and Scotland, were left sharing a point each after no play was possible at the Takashinga Sports Club in Hararae.

Zimbabwe’s next Group C opponents are England (January 18), while Scotland next face Pakistan (January 19).

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U-19 World Cup: Francis, Bell, Andrew help West Indies thump Tanzania

Published

5 hours ago

2026/01/16

Priyan

Ally Hafidh was bowled by Vitel Lawes [Cricinfo]

West Indies kickstarted their campaign at the 2026 Men’s U19 World Cup with a drubbing of Tanzania for the first result of the tournament in Windhock.

West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl, but had to wait till the 14th over for the first breakthrough. Tanzania openers Dylan Thakrar (26) and Darpan Jobanputra (19) put on a 53-run opening stand to frustrate West Indies’ new-ball bowlers before medium pacer Jonathan Van Lange broke the stand.

Seamer Shaquqn Belle, who took the catch to break the first-wicket stand, then dismissed Thakrar in the 15th over, ran No. 3 Ayaan Shariff out in the 16th, and got Augustino Mwamele in the 19th. The three wickets in three overs opened up Tanzania’s batting, and a procession of wickets followed. Left-arm wristspinner Vitel Lawes ran through the lower-middle order for a three-wicket haul, and Tanzania folded for 122 in the 34th over.

In the chase, Tanzania’s seamer Mwamele got an early breakthrough to remove West Indies opener Zachary Carter in the fourth over. But an 80-run second-wicket partnership between Tanez Francis (52) and Jewel Andrew (44) eased the chase.

Although West Indies lost four wickets between the 17th and 20th overs for a brief stutter, the low target meant they eventually cruised to their first win in Group D with 29 overs to spare.

Brief scores:
West Indies U-19s 124 for 5 in 21 overs (Tanez Francis 52, Jewel Andrew 44; Augustino Mwamele 2-17, Raymond Francis 2-23) beat Tanzania U-19s 122 in 34 overs (Dylan Thakrar 26; Vitel Lawes 3-23, Micah McKenzie 2-15, Shaquan Belle 2-23) by five wickets

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

U-19 World Cup: Henil, Kundu secure India’s first win

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/16

Priyan

Henil Patel took the tournament's first five-wicket haul [Cricinfo]

Five-time champions India began their 2026 Men’s Under-19 World Cup campaign with a six wicket win (via DLS) over United States of America, but not without a brief scare.

When right-arm quick Henil Patel’s five-wicket haul skittled USA for 107, it looked like it would be an easy win for India. However, in a rain-affected chase, India lost three wickets – including those of captain Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – inside the first six overs. But Abhigyan Kundu, who hit a double-century in the Under-19 Asia Cup in the lead up to the World Cup, played an assured knock to seal the deal.

Henil, who draws inspiration from Dale Steyn, struck in his first over in the first innings, with Amrinder Gill the first to fall to his extra bounce as he edged one to second slip. USA opener Sahil Garg and wicketkeeper Arjun Mahesh then put up a resistance, even if runs were hard to come by. They added 28 runs in 45 deliveries before Garg sent Deepesh Devendran’s short ball straight to deep third.

Two overs later, Henil had his second when USA captain Utkarsh Srivastava shouldered arms but couldn’t get his bat out of the way, dragging the ball onto the stumps. This was the first of two double-wicket overs for Henil, as he had the set Mahesh slicing to deep third too.

Spin was introduced in the 16th over and the decision paid off as Amogh Arepally chipped left-arm spinner Khilan Patel to cover. However, Adnit Jhamb and Nitish Sudini looked settled against the spin and put on USA’s highest partnership – 30 in 8.5 overs.

Sudini tried some big shots, but was beaten by the spin, however the pair rotated strike nicely. With the spinners failing to create an opening, Mhatre went back to pace and RS Ambrish got the breakthrough with a length ball that took Jhamb’s outside edge.

A brilliant piece of fielding then sent Adit Kappa back. He hit a ball to cover’s right and took off for the single, but Vihaan Malhotra – a livewire in the field – dived and made a good stop. He then nailed a direct hit at the non-striker’s end.

With just three wickets in hand, Sudini then upped the tempo but Henil ended a 25-run stand by bouncing out Sabrish Prasad. Next ball, Henil cleaned up No. 10 Rishabh Shimpi and found himself on a hat-trick. But he never got another crack as Sudini tried to take on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s part-time bowling and picked out long-off, leaving India 108 to chase.

India’s start to the chase was scratchy. First, the players had to walk off for a short rain delay before the first ball of the chase. When they returned, Mhatre cut the first ball straight to point where Gill put down a straight-forward chance. Sooryavanshi then miscued a shot down the ground, but managed to clear mid-off.

It looked like the nerves had calmed when Mhatre hit two gorgeous boundaries off left-armer Shimpi. But Ritvik Appidi, denied in the first over, wasn’t going to be denied again. On the second ball of his second over, Sooryavanshi charged down but was cramped for room and dragged the ball onto his stumps. One over later, the players went off due to lightning nearby and the delay was extended by a spell of rain that left behind a wet outfield.

There was more trouble for India once play resumed after a two-hour delay. Appidi troubled No. 3 Vedant Trivedi throughout the over and on the last ball, Trivedi hit a crisp cut straight to Gill, who held on this time.

With another drizzle around and perhaps feeling the need to up the tempo, Mhatre went on the attack next over. He got a top edge off a pull for four off Shimpi but when he went to hook another short ball, Gill took a good catch running in from deep fine leg. Gill slipped as he ran in, but maintained his composure to complete the catch.

In walked Kundu and immediately stamped his authority with a sublime drive through cover point for four. Malhotra got off the mark first ball with a back-foot punch through covers and in the next over, Kundu hit back-to-back on-drives off Shimpi.

Kundu hit another smooth drive through point before a mix-up almost cost Malhotra’s wicket when he tapped one in front of point and took off for a single. But Malhotra didn’t last long as Srivastava drew the outside edge and Garg grabbed the chance at slip.

Kundu and Kanishk Chouhan ensured there were no more hiccups for India. In the 18th over, Kundu lofted Kappa down the ground for four to bring the target within one hit. He then finished the game with a six over long-on to finish unbeaten on a 41-ball 42.

Brief scores:
India Under 19s 99 for 4 (Abigiyan Kundu 42*; Ritvik Appidi 2-24) beat USA Under 19s 107 (Nitish Sudini 36; Henil Patel 5-16) by six wickets (via DLS)

[Cricinfo]