A brilliant spell from Ayabonga Khaka has helped South Africa escape with a hard-fought 32-run victory over a gallant Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Dunedin on Saturday.

Khaka’s match-winning four for 32 included a spell of three wickets in nine balls as she put the clamps on Bangladesh’s batting line-up and ensured her side were able to defend a modest total of 207.

Openers Shamima Sultana (28) and Sharmin Akhter (34) had given Bangladesh a perfect start as they reached 69 without loss, but Khaka’s timely intervention reduced the score to 72 for three with wickets falling in quick succession as the required run-rate continued to rise.

Skipper Nigar Sultana (29) and Ritu Moni (27) tried to use their experience to get Bangladesh back in it, but Shabnim Ismail (1/33) and Masabata Klaas (2/36) returned to the crease with the ball as the Proteas held on.

Earlier, Fariha Trisna was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers with three for 35 while Jahanara Alam and Ritu Moni stood out with two wickets apiece as Bangladesh excelled in their first-ever match at a 50-over World Cup.

All-rounder Marizanne Kapp top-scored for South Africa with 42, while opener Laura Wolvaardt (41) and the dangerous Chloe Tryon (39) also got starts as the Proteas badly missed the big-hitting of veteran batter Lizelle Lee.

South African skipper Sune Luus was dismissed in unlucky circumstances, with the ball deflecting off Rumana Ahmed’s fingers and on to the stumps at the non-striker’s end.

The Proteas were all out in the final over for 207, but that proved enough as Khaka’s inspirational spell and some valuable experience made sure there was no fairytale World Cup debut for Bangladesh. – ICC

Sports Reporter

Only Timycen Maruma and Carl Mumba batted with much spirit as the Zimbabwe A team put up a feeble performance in their second innings and were bowled out for only 93 runs at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.

South Africa A thus won the first unofficial Test match between the sides by an innings and 166 runs.

The host began the day on 22 for two wickets, having started their second innings 259 runs in arrears – the overnight batsmen were Takudzwanashe Kaitano with 10 and Maruma with three.

Kaitano was soon out for 11, dabbling at a ball from Sipamla well outside his off stump that he edged to the wicketkeeper, Sinethemba Qeshile, to make the score 29 for three.

Roy Kaia came in and scored 10 runs before he slashed at a ball from Daryn Dupavillon and was caught on the off side, making the score 45 for four.

As Richmond Mutumbami came in, Maruma hit Dupavillon for two fours in an over, but for the most part stuck to stolid defence – as did Mutumbami, who took 22 balls to get off the mark by slashing a four off Miguel Pretorius past the slips.

Later in the same over, he miscued a defensive stroke and popped a gentle return catch to the bowler, making the score now 67 for five wickets.

Maruma had continued to play a solid defensive game, with occasional hits, but now he slashed wildly at a delivery from Pretorius outside his off stump and edged it straight to the keeper.

He had made 33 off 99 balls, with three fours, and his departure at 70 for six wickets ensured heavy defeat for the team, with only tail-enders to come.

Four further balls would have seen him survive until lunch, when the score was 71 for six.

The innings lasted less than half an hour after lunch.

Only Mumba put up any real fight, hitting three fours in his score of 13 not out off 19 deliveries – with more support from the other tail-enders he might have been able to take the total past 100.

When Tapiwa Mufudza was bowled by Glenton Stuurman the ball smashed the top off his off stump, which had to be replaced.

The last wicket fell when Tanaka Chivanga miscued a hit off Stuurman to leg and was caught, leaving Mumba stranded and the total at a very disappointing 93.

Stuurman took three wickets for 18 and Dupavillon three for 28, while there were two wickets each for Pretorius and Sipamla, all pace bowlers.

Staff Reporter

Josephine Nkomo scored a magnificent unbeaten 70 but, unfortunately, her captain’s innings was not enough to save Zimbabwe Women from going down to a 32-run defeat at the hands of South Africa Emerging Women in the first one-day match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Tuesday.

After winning the toss and putting the tourists in to bat first, the hosts opened their bowling with Nomvelo Sibanda and Esther Mbofana against Andrie Steyn, the skipper, and Tazmin Brits.

The South African side lost their first wicket with 37 on the board when Brits was bowled by Tasmeen Granger for 11 off the first ball of the eighth over, having faced 20 deliveries.

Soon after the tourists brought up their fifty, Granger struck again as she had Robyn Searle (7) stumped by the wicketkeeper Chiedza Dhururu; 51 for two in the 12th over.

On the other end, Steyn continued to impress, getting a single off Lorryn Phiri off the 66th ball she faced to reach her own fifty, which included six boundaries.

Steyn and Nondumiso Shangase put up an 85-run stand for the third wicket before, at 136, the latter was caught by Sibanda off the bowling of Precious Marange in the 32nd over, having scored a valiant 43, with five fours, off 70 balls.

The team 200 was passed off the last ball of the 44th over and in the next Steyn brought up her century, with nine fours, off 132 deliveries.

However, off the next ball she perished, on 100 exactly, when she was run out by Pellagia Mujaji after Anneke Bosch called for a risky single; 207 for four in the 46th over.

In the very same over, Marange reduced South Africa Emerging Women to 208 for five after she trapped Delmi Tucker lbw to send her back to the pavilion for a duck.

Next in was Tebogo Macheke but she only made one run off seven balls before she was out caught and bowled to Granger; 212 for six in the 48th over.

Bosch finally fell in the final over after she was caught off a Sibanda delivery for a brilliant 46, which included four fours and one six, off 47 deliveries.

The innings came to an end for a total of 232 for seven wickets, with Masabata Klaas and Michaela Andrews both unbeaten with six and four respectively.

Granger was Zimbabwe Women’s most successful bowler with three for 44, followed by Sibanda with two for 46, while Marange was the most economical with one for 33 – each of them bowled 10 overs.

Dhururu and Modester Mupachikwa opened the batting for the home side, getting six runs off the first over bowled by Klaas.

However, the pair was parted in the next over when Andrews had Dhururu caught by Steyn to depart for five; 14 for one.

Mujaji came in next but could only contribute seven before she was caught by Bosch off Andrews, reducing Zimbabwe Women to 34 for two in the 10th over.

The hosts were then left reeling at 57 for three in the 15th over after Mupachikwa was dismissed for 29, with three fours, off 45 deliveries. 

Christabel Chatonzwa and Nkomo however struck up a productive partnership of 50 runs for the fourth wicket that stabilised the innings and brought up the team 100 in the 31st over.

At 107 in the 34th over, Chatonzwa, having faced 62 balls, fell for a worthy 26 that included three boundaries.

Marange came in with Zimbabwe Women now needing 126 runs from 98 deliveries at nearly eight an over.

She clearly understood the task at hand: Marange got off the mark with two runs and in the next over she carted Andrews over the boundary for the innings’ first six.

Her stand with Nkomo yielded 73 runs as the home side fought hard but the required run rate unfortunately kept galloping up.

Marange’s fearless innings was finally brought to an end after she had scored a 42-ball 41, including two fours and two sixes.

Zimbabwe Women were now down to 180 for five, needing 53 runs from 21 deliveries.

Nyasha Gwanzura’s cameo produced 11 runs from as many balls as she and Nkomo saw out the innings without any further loss, but it was too little too late as the home side could only muster a total of 200, falling short by 32 runs.

Nkomo finished with 70 not out, a very impressive performance with the bat that saw her facing 113 balls and scoring six boundaries.

Andrews claimed three scalps, while there was a wicket apiece for Jané Winster and Klaas.

The two sides will meet again in the second one-day match at the same venue on Thursday.