GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Records tumbled as Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits notched up match-winning centuries to help guide the Proteas Women to an emphatic 216-run victory in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) to secure a 2-1 series win in Benoni on 23 December.
Brits is a Garden Route Badger based in Oudtshoorn.
Player of the Series Wolvaardt top-scored with 126 off 134 balls (13 fours, 1 six) while Player of the Match Brits – from the Garden Route Badgers - recorded her maiden hundred in the format with 118 off 124 deliveries, including eight fours and two sixes to lead the Proteas to 316/4 before Bangladesh were restricted to 100 all out with 18.5 overs to spare.
South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first in sweltering conditions at Willowmoore Park as openers Brits and Wolvaardt set out to lay an ideal platform for the home side, with the pair getting through the powerplay unscathed to bring up their 50-run stand and help the hosts reach 60/0.
With both batters gaining more confidence at the crease, the imposing duo brought up the highest first-wicket partnership in women’s ODI cricket in Benoni, surpassing the previous best of 80 before the two players celebrated their 100-run stand in the 19th over as Wolvaardt raised her bat for a half-century.
Brits shortly followed suit with her own half-century, her second in as many ODIs, as South Africa reached 130/0 at the halfway mark of the innings.
Wolvaardt and Brits continued to make the most of the conditions and their form as the two punched gloves to mark their 150-run partnership to take the home side to 184/0 at the second drinks break.
After the interval, Wolvaardt raised her arms aloft for a fifth-career ton off 120 deliveries before South Africa and the top-order batters notched up 200 runs in the 39th over. For the second time in the 2023/24 season, two Proteas women batters celebrated their hundreds in one match as Brits recorded her first-ever ODI century off 113 balls.
Wolvaardt and Brits then entered their names into the South African record books as they amassed the highest first wicket partnership (243) - breaking the previous record of 209 between Andrie Steyn and Suné Luus.
The historic stand was eventually brought to an end with Wolvaardt playing onto her stumps off a Marufa Akter (1/35) delivery after increasing her aggressive strokes, with the skipper departing on a well-played 126.
The summarised score card:
- 3rd ODI - Willowmoore Park, Benoni (Saturday, 23 December)
- South Africa beat Bangladesh by 216 runs
- South Africa: 316/4 after 50 overs; L. Wolvaardt 126 (134), T. Brits 118 (124); R. Khan 2/49, M. Akter 1/35
- Bangladesh: 100 all out after 31.1 overs; R. Moni 33 (67), F. Khatun 15 (26); N. de Klerk 3/10, A. Khaka 3/15
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