West Indies trump South Africa in Super Over thriller to go 1-0

Chedean Nation’s patient innings, followed by a sensational Super Over batting display from Deandra Dottin led West Indies to a win over South Africa on Monday (January 31) at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Ayabonga Khaka’s career-best bowling figures were not enough for the hosts in the low-scoring thriller.



Chasing a modest target of 161 for the first win of the series, West Indies lost the opener Rashada Williams in the second over for just one. Dottin, who scored her career-best score in the previous ODI, looked poised to repeat her heroics. She hit Khaka for a beautiful backfoot punch before getting bowled in the very next ball. Khaka continued with her near-perfect line and length to get rid of dangerous Matthews as well for just four runs.



West Indies were cramped for 69 for four in the 16th over but the scoring rate was well above the required run rate. At this crucial juncture, Luus introduced her leg-spin. She forced the West Indies skipper to come down the wicket with a flighted delivery and Stafanie Taylor only managed to offer a return catch. Shemaine Campbelle followed her captain as her attempt to sweep Luus resulted in disturbing her stumps.



From the precarious position of 83 for six, Nation and Chinelle Henry gave West Indies hope with a stand of 54 runs. Nation was the chief architect of the partnership as she was quick between the wickets and punished the bad balls. Khaka returned to break the seventh wicket partnership as she dismissed Henry and Shamilia Connell with back-to-back deliveries. Khaka narrowly missed out on the hat-trick as Shakera Selman survived a close LBW shout.



Unmoved Nation continued to be the thorn in the flesh for South Africa. Her patient innings of 35 came to an end when West Indies needed only three runs to win the match. The last pair of Ramharack and Selman leveled the score before Shabnim Ismail poured all of her experience in to what eventually became the final over during the full time. She trapped Selman in front to take the thrilling match to the Super Over.



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West Indies opted for the hard-hitting duo of Dottin and Matthews in the One Over Eliminator, while Luus handed the ball to Ismail. West Indies scored a record-breaking 25 runs off the Super Over as Dottin contributed with 19 off just five balls. In reply, Chloe Tryon gave the hosts some hope with a first-ball six off Matthews. Her partner, Taznim Brits, hit two back-to-back fours but it was not enough as West Indies bagged the Super Over and the match as South Africa fell eight run short of the visitors' score.



Earlier, after a brief rain delay, West Indies captain Taylor won the toss and invited South Africa to bat first. After navigating a tricky passage of play in the beginning, South Africa’s opening pair of Laura Wolvaardt and Brits put up a partnership of 50 runs in 14 overs. Chinelle Henry gave the visitors a breakthrough they desperately needed with a wicket of Wolvaardt for 25. Campbelle showed her wicket-keeping prowess as South Africa slumped to 62 for three by the end of the 20th over.



Captain Sune Luus tried to build a partnership for the fifth-wicket with Mignon du Preez but the latter lost her wicket trying to go over mid-wicket. Despite losing the partners, Luus continued her counter-attack. Ramharack and Selman could not escape the heat and got clobbered around the park. That aggression ended up causing her downfall with Taylor taking an easy catch at mid-off to see the back of her counterpart.



After her captain’s fall, Tryon looked poised to take control of the innings, but Henry’s one-handed catch ended her promising knock. Tryon’s wicket led a procession of wickets. First, Matthews gleefully accepted the top edge offered by Jafta. Later Selman sent Ismail and Masabata Klaas back to the pavilion in the same over. Matthews cleaned up the tail as South Africa lost the last five wickets for 40 runs.



Brief Scores: South Africa: 160/10 in 40.4 overs (Sune Luus 46, Laura Wolvaadrt 26; Hayley Matthews 2/21) tied West Indies 160/10 in 37.4 overs (Deandra Dottin 37, Chedean Nation 35; Ayabonga Khaka 5/26) West Indies won in the Super Over POTM: Chinelle Henry



Super Over: West Indies 25/0 (Deandra Dottin 19*, Hayley Matthews 6*) vs South Africa 17/1 (Tanmin Brits 10, Chloe Tryon 7*)