A trio of blistering half-centuries helped England defeat South Africa by 17 runs in a high-scoring Ladies’s T20 World Cup warm-up match in Stellenbosch.
Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey and Nat Sciver-Brunt all hit quickfire 50s as England ran up a mammoth 246 for seven after being despatched into bat.
South Africa made a valiant try to chase down their daunting goal however finally fell brief as Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn and Lauren Bell claimed three wickets every.
England might hardly have gotten off a greater begin after dropping the toss, with opener Dunkley racing to 50 from simply 15 balls throughout a gap stand value 68 in solely 4.3 overs.
She fell 4 balls later, bowled within the fifth over by Shabnim Ismail for 59 having struck 9 fours and three sixes, however the tone had been set for a exceptional day of batting.
Danni Wyatt fell for twenty-four, however Capsey, with 61 off 33 balls, and Sciver-Brunt, 51 off 25, carried on Dunkley’s fireworks on the prime of the order.
South Africa stemmed the move of runs considerably within the seventeenth and 18th overs, which solely went for 13 in complete and noticed Heather Knight, Amy Jones and Sophie Ecclestone dismissed within the house of 4 balls, however Maia Bouchier (19 off seven balls) ensured a robust end from the vacationers.
With a run price of greater than 12 an over required, South Africa have been quickly in hassle as they slipped to 51 for 3, with Dean sending again Laura Wolvaardt and captain Sune Luus both facet of Glenn’s seize of Marizanne Kapp.
Nonetheless, opener Tazmin Brits and Chloe Tryon pushed again with a third-wicket stand of 98, with Tyron smashing 65 off simply 23 balls with seven sixes earlier than she was snared by Dean (three for 46).
Fellow spinner Glenn (three for 30) then added Brits (38) and Annerie Dercksen (0) to her haul within the thirteenth over as South Africa’s problem light once more.
Nadine de Klerk stored combating for the hosts, hitting an unbeaten 27-ball 50, however Bell (three for 31) ensured there was no late twist within the story as she claimed three wickets within the last 4 overs.
‘Aggressive and optimistic’
Dunkley stated: “It was a fantastic win immediately. I feel all of us went on the market actually aggressive and optimistic, nice to get the win in what bought to be an in depth sport and it felt good to get on the market.
“I feel clearly some nice bowlers on the opposition, however I feel making a extremely robust effort to attempt to simply be actually fierce and courageous and tackle a number of the finest bowlers on the planet, which I hope to do all through the competitors.
“I believed it was nice to see Capsey again out after harm, however she appeared again to her finest, smashing the ball over the ropes which was nice to see, and in addition Nat as nicely, we all know how good she is however nice to see her get going actually shortly and actually take the sport to South Africa immediately.”
Watch England’s T20 World Cup marketing campaign reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket. The group’s opening sport, towards West Indies, is reside from 12.30pm (1pm first ball) on Saturday.
