The South African under-19 Women produced a clinical display to overcome the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Youth XI by 11 runs in a shortened second match of the Youth T20 Tri-Series held at the Chatsworth Oval in Durban on Saturday.
Proteas Women wicketkeeper batter Karabo Meso top-scored for the U19s, delivering a 23-ball 36 (5 fours) to help push her side to 78/6 in 10 overs, with CSA Youth XI captain Nthabiseng Nini taking outstanding figures of four for 15 in her two overs.
In reply, the SA U19 bowlers did well to limit their opponents’ scoring options, with the invitational outfit restricted to 67/3 despite Jemma Botha’s unbeaten 24 off 22 balls (2 fours).
Following a lengthy delay to the start of the match caused by overnight rain, the second T20 was reduced to a 10-over contest. The SA U19 Women were asked to bat first and endured an early setback, slipping to 16/2 after two overs as openers Chris-Mari Bezuidenhout and Ashley Barnard were both dismissed without scoring.
The hosts recovered well through a vital 46-run partnership for the third wicket between Meso and Mieke van Voorst (23). The stand was broken in the eighth over when Meso played onto her stumps off the bowling of Jeze Campher (1/7), leaving South Africa on 62/3.
In search of a strong finish, the under-19s took on more risk in the closing stages, but Nini struck three times in the final over, dismissing Van Voorst, Ashleigh van Wyk (0) and Miya Lalor (5) for just three runs, as South Africa concluded their innings on 78/6.
Having been set a target of 79 in 60 balls for victory, the CSA Youth XI lost an early wicket when Simone Lourens (4) was bowled by Cayleigh Wanckel (1/17) with the fifth ball of the innings.
The chase suffered a further setback two overs later, as Shelfa Mukhari (1 / 3) trapped Maria van der Vyfer (4) LBW to reduce the batting side to 18/2.
Although Botha and Chanel Venter (18) combined for 24 runs for the third wicket, the required boundaries proved hard to come by for the Youth XI. The breakthrough eventually came via the bowling of Anelisa Mhlongo (1/19), removing Venter in the seventh over to leave the invitational 42/3.
Botha was then joined by Deidre van Rensburg (10*), and while the pair shared an unbroken 25-run partnership for the fourth wicket, it was not enough to overhaul the target as the SA U19 Women secured an 11-run victory.
The third fixture of the Youth T20 Tri-Series will take place on Monday, 12 January, with the CSA Youth XI going up against Zimbabwe.
The action will be streamed live on CSA’s YouTube page from 13h00.
SA U19 Women Squad
Ashley Barnard (Mpumalanga), Chris-Mari Bezuidenhout (Mpumalanga), Jae-Leigh Filander (Western Province), Miya Lalor (Western Province), Karabo Meso (Central Gauteng Lions), Anelisa Mhlongo (KZN Coastal), Ziya Mohanlall (KZN Coastal), Shelfa Mukhari (Limpopo), Shreeya Subbiah (KZN Coastal), Melissa van der Merwe (Boland), Mieke van Voorst (Eastern Storm), Ashleigh van Wyk (Eastern Storm), Cayleigh Wanckel (Eastern Province), Nobubelebesisa Zwane (KZN Coastal)
SA U19 Women’s Youth T20 Tri-Series against Zimbabwe U19 Women and CSA Youth XI
Friday, 09 January - 1st Youth T20 at 13h00 - SA U19 Women v Zimbabwe U19 (Chatsworth Oval, Durban)
Saturday, 10 January - 2nd Youth T20 at 13h00 - SA U19 Women v CSA Youth XI (Chatsworth Oval, Durban)
Monday, 12 January - 3rd Youth T20 at 13h00 - SA U19 Women v CSA Youth XI (Chatsworth Oval, Durban)
Tuesday, 13 January - 4th Youth T20 at 13h00 - CSA Youth XI v Zimbabwe U19 (Chatsworth Oval, Durban)
Thursday, 15 January - 5th Youth T20 at 13h00 - SA U19 Women v Zimbabwe U19 (Chatsworth Oval, Durban)
Friday, 16 January - 6th Youth T20 at 13h00 - CSA Youth XI v Zimbabwe U19 (Chatsworth Oval, Durban)
Sunday, 18 January - Youth T20 Tri-Series Final at 13h00 - TBC (Chatsworth Oval, Durban)