SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN TOUR OF IRELAND, 2022
Gaby Lewis and Arlene Kelly performed key roles in Ireland’s win © Getty
Skipper Gabe Lewis led from the entrance with a half-century, which was adopted by a disciplined effort with the ball, as Ireland defeated South Africa by 10 runs within the first T20I on the Pembroke Cricket Club in Dublin on Friday (June 3). Asked to bat, Ireland posted a difficult 143/7, with Leah Paul supporting Lewis in a 98-run opening partnership. While South Africa managed to return again nicely with the ball, Ireland’s bowlers additionally did a superb job, led by Arlene Kelly’s 2-25, to limit South Africa to 133/7.
Rachel Delaney helped Ireland off to an awesome begin with the ball, dismissing Lara Goodall for a golden duck and bowling a wicket maiden within the first over. Tazmin Brits struck two fours earlier than she fell within the third over to Arlene Kelly. Anne Bosch and Laura Wolvaardt had been concerned in a watchful partnership however that didn’t final past the ninth over because the latter fell to Cara Murray. Bosch was on 7 off 19 on the time of Wolvaardt’s dismissal and he or she pressed on the accelerator, hanging a 4 and a six in successive overs as South Africa moved to 57/3 on the finish of the tenth over.
Bosch and Sune Luus had been making an attempt to construct a partnership however Celeste Raack ensured it didn’t develop into an enormous one, dismissing Bosch for 29 within the 14th over. Luus struck a six in the identical over whereas Chloe Tryon hit two fours off Georgina Dempsey, bringing down the equation to 48 off 30. Tryon additionally scored a six and a 4 off Murray within the subsequent over, with 15 coming off it, however Kelly saved it tight as she gave away solely six runs within the seventeenth. Leah Paul picked up the vital wicket of Tryon, dismissing her for a 15-ball 26 within the 18th over, and likewise conceded solely 5 runs. With 22 wanted off 12, South Africa might solely handle 4 within the nineteenth over whereas Kelly additionally dismissed Luus. Jane Maguire bowled a superb final over, freely giving solely 7 to help Ireland take a 1-0 lead.
Earlier, Lewis supplied the platform for Ireland along with her intent-filled method, serving to the aspect attain 40 for no loss within the powerplay. While Paul was completely happy to rotate strike and was scoring at a run a ball, Lewis struck 4 of the six boundaries scored within the powerplay and saved the frequency of fours going even after the fielding restrictions had been lifted. By the top of the tenth over, Lewis had eight fours to her identify whereas Paul additionally picked up tempo, hitting three fours in two overs to help Ireland to 83 on the midway stage of the innings.
Lewis went on to deliver up a 36-ball fifty earlier than getting run out 52 which ended the opening stand two in need of the century mark within the thirteenth over. Paul fell within the subsequent over to Shabnim Ismail whereas Tryon dismissed Mary Waldron within the sixteenth. Tumi Sekhukhune, whose first three overs had yielded 27 runs with no wicket, bagged three wickets within the nineteenth over to proceed South Africa’s fightback with the ball. Barring a number of boundaries, Ireland didn’t end their innings in addition to they might have preferred, getting solely 20 runs within the final three overs to complete with underneath 145.
Brief scores: Ireland 143/7 in 20 overs (Gaby Lewis 52, Leah Paul 47; Tumi Sekhukhune 3-32) beat South Africa 133/7 in 20 overs (Anne Bosch 29, Chloe Tryon 26; Arlene Kelly 2-25) by 10 runs.
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