Follow UsThe South African women’s team suffered a massive collapse batting first in their opening game of the Women’s ODI World Cup in Guwahati, as England bowlers folded their innings for just 69 runs.
10 out of the 11 Proteas batters got out on a single-digit score as Linsey Smith’s left-arm spin wreaked havoc in the top order, dismissing both the openers. While Smith dismissed three batters for just seven runs, Skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, and Charlie Dean dismissed two batters each as well.
The collapse was so dramatic that South Africa could only bat 20.4 overs. Speaking at the post-match press conference, skipper Laura Wolvaardt said the collapse was an aberration and the team is much better than 69 all out. She said that they’ll not take such a performance ahead in the tournament at all.
"I think our prep has been good, I don't think there were too many demons in the pitch," Wolvaardt said.
"It was just one of those days where everyone went out early and that happens in cricket sometimes. It was not a pitch that we were super foreign to. We spent a lot of time in these conditions in the last couple of months, so definitely wouldn't put it on the wicket.
“We are much, much better than 69 all out. As a group, we just need to put it behind us as quickly as we can and move forward, because if we're going to take that into the next game, it's going to be a very long tournament for us.”
Wolvaardt maintained that South Africa had come prepared for the conditions and the English bowlers; however, it just wasn’t their day.
“You can't really fault our preparation. Yesterday, personally, I was super specific in my training," Wolvaardt added.
"I had someone bowl like Lauren Bell would and I had the left-armer [bowling] at me. I had already planned which guard I would take and what my options were and what my strong options were. To have that soft dismissal today was very disappointing with all the preparation that we had put in. We've been very well-informed by all of our coaches. It's just one of those days where we played the wrong line for the ball swinging in.”
South Africa have suffered a massive net run rate loss after this game and will now look to make a strong comeback in the tournament in the game against New Zealand in Indore.