Luus spins Proteas women to victory
Twenty-year old leg-spinner Suné Luus claimed career best T20 International bowling figures of 5/8 to keep the South African women’s cricket team’s hopes alive of progressing to the knockout stages of the 2016 World T20.
|||TWENTY-year old leg-spinner Suné Luus claimed career best T20 International bowling figures of 5/8 to keep the South African women’s cricket team’s hopes alive of progressing to the knockout stages of the 2016 World T20.
The Proteas hit back after losing their opening match to Australia and now sit second on the Group A table behind New Zealand, who have played one match more at this stage.
Luus bowled brilliantly after Mignon du Preez’s side posted a respectable 156/5 in their allotted 20 overs. There were solid contributions throughout the batting line-up with openers Dane van Niekerk (20 off 13 balls, 2x4, 1x6) and Trisha Chetty (35 off 35 balls, 4x4) setting the platform with a blistering start at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Van Niekerk’s dismissal – lbw to Irish seamer Kim Garth – within the powerplay overs slowed down the South African run-rate. Captain Du Preez (13 off 19 balls) and Chetty tried to steadily build again, but just when they were well set to launch an assault South Africa lost three middle-order within the space of 14 runs.
The Proteas were not going to let the early advantage slip though with Lizelle Lee (30 not out 24 balls, 3x4, 1x6), Dinesha Devnarain (24 not out off 18 balls, 4x4) and Chloe Thryon’s 20 not out off just seven balls (2x4, 1x6) providing the lower order pyrotechnics.
Ireland’s replay was going well with the Europeans comfortably placed on 64/ 2 in the 12th over before Luus wrecked havoc. The young leg-spinner ripped through the middle and lower order as Ireland lost their last eight wickets for just 25 runs. - Independent Media