Marizanne Kapp, Laura Wolvaardt shine before rain interrupts the first T20I

All-round performance from Marizanne Kapp, and the 21-ball 35 from Laura Wolvaardt stole the headlines in the first T20I against West Indies before the rain came down and the match was cancelled at Antigua on Tuesday (August 31).



After opting to bat, South Africa skipper Dane van Niekerk and Lizelle Lee got them off to a steady start. Together, they added 31 runs in 4.2 overs before the former top-edged a sweep shot of Hayley Matthews. Joined by Marizanne Kapp, Lee tried to build a partnership. They ensured that the tourists would not lose another wicket.



Both Kapp and Lee took their time to settle, as they kept the scorecard moving with singles and doubles. Whenever they got an opportunity to put the bad ball away, they did not miss out. Kapp smashed back-to-back boundaries off Aaliyah Alleyne. They brought up the fifty partnership, soon after which Lee was run out, thanks to a brilliant effort in the field on the boundary rope.



Kapp, too, did not last long as she tried to slog sweep Anisa Mohammed to up the run rate. She made 36 runs from 46 balls. Meanwhile, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits took the attack to the hosts, hitting boundaries across the field. The former finished with a couple of sixes - one down the ground and the other over deep midwicket, taking South Africa to 135 for three. Wolvaarddt made 35 runs from 21 balls.



Chasing close to seven runs per over, West Indies opener Deandra Dottin pulled her hamstring three balls into the innings, trying to pull Kapp. Matthews and Kyshona Knight tried to keep the innings going, but Kapp made the former edge to the keeper before rain interrupted to stop play. Eventually, the officials called off the match.



Brief Scores:



South Africa 135/3 in 20 overs (Marizanne Kapp 36, Anisa Mohammed 1/23) versus West Indies 21/1 in 2.5 overs (Hayley Matthews 8, Marizanne Kapp 1/15) Match called off due to rain