All-round Tryon powers South Africa to crucial win
Chloe Tryon’s all-round show (40 runs and two wickets) helped South Africa register a resounding 65-run win against New Zealand in Paarl. For the second time in two games, New Zealand’s batting unit crumbled while chasing down a tricky target on a rather dry pitch. In the very first over of the game, Bernadine Bezuidenhout charged down the track a bit too early and was stumped by Sinalo Jafta off Nonkululeko Mlaba. If Bezuidenhout was done in by the one that turned away from her, then Suzie Bates was castled on the back of Mlaba’s arm ball. The former New Zealand skipper paid the price for trying to pull a good length delivery on a slow pitch For a brief period, Georgia Plimmer looked good at the crease, but in the fourth over she advanced down the track a touch too early and was caught behind off Marizanne Kapp. Amelia Kerr didn’t last long either as she fell to Ayabonga Khaka. By the end of the fifth over itself, South Africa were in complete command. The New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine (16 runs) tried to hold the innings together but the side continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. Ultimately, in the 14th over, Devine was adjudged LBW off Tryon. Devine did take the review but it seemed more in desperation, and the ball-tracker duly confirmed that it would hit the leg-stump. The pace pair of Kapp and Shabnim Ismail picked up the last two wickets to fall as New Zealand were bowled out for just 67 in 18.1 overs. For the home side, Mlaba returned impressive figures of 3 for 10 from four overs. Earlier, when Sune Luus and Laura Wolvaardt were dismissed in quick succession, the hosts too had found themselves in a spot of bother at 55 for 4. At that stage, the experienced Tryon propped up the innings. The all-rounder also got an able ally in Nadine de Klerk, with the duo sharing a game-changing alliance of 47 for the sixth wicket. The highlight of her innings was the way she used her feet to pick up boundaries off Eden Carson, Amelia and Fran Jonas. Meanwhile, New Zealand did miss a couple of tough chances. South Africa are now placed third on the points table in Group A with two points while New Zealand are winless after playing two games. New Zealand’s woes are compounded by the fact that they have a NRR of -4.050. Brief scores: South Africa 132/6 (Chloe Tryon 40; Eden Carson 2-23) beat New Zealand 67 in 18.1 overs (Nonkululeko Mlaba 3-10, Chloe Tryon 2-12) by 65 runs.
