Knight, Elwiss guide England Women home
Half-centuries from Heather Knight and George Elwiss helped England Women down South Africa Women by five wickets in the third and final One-Day International at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday (February 14).
The win helped England claim the series 2-1 and lifted it level with South Africa, on 13 points, in the ICC Women's Championship table.
Put in to bat, South Africa rode on Lizelle Lee’s 77-ball 74 to post 196 for 9. Knight (67 not out) and Elwiss (61) put on 97 for the fifth wicket to guide England to 198 for 5 in 43.5 overs.
Lauren Winfield and Amy Jones, the England openers, started briskly, adding 30 runs in just 4.5 overs before the former was caught behind off Shabnim Ismail. England suffered another blow when Jones fell to Chloe Tryon in the next over. The scoring rate dipped considerably, and Sarah Taylor’s wicket in the tenth over left England wobbling at 38 for 3.
But Charlotte Edwards, the captain, and Knight brought some stability with a 53-run fourth-wicket stand. When Edwards departed, caught by Sune Luus off Ayabonga Khaka in the 23rd over, England was still 106 runs short of victory. But Elwiss put up an impressive stand with Knight to take England forward.
Elwiss was particularly aggressive, her 61 coming from 67 balls and including six fours and a six, while Knight's half-century was more sedate, from 84 balls. While Elwiss was bowled by Ismail with the target in sight, Knight stayed on to ensure a series win that got England's 2017 World Cup qualification campaign back on track. Knight remained unbeaten on 67 off 100 deliveries with six fours.
Earlier, Anya Shrubsole struck with just the fourth delivery, finding the edge of Laura Wolfvaart. Although England had to wait until the 17th over for a second breakthrough, its bowlers kept South Africa in check by maintaining tight lines.
Trisha Chetty and Mignon du Preez, the captain, combined in a 57-run stand which was ended when Elwiss bowled du Preez in her first over. Du Preez’s wicket triggered a collapse as South Africa slipped to 85 for 6.
But Lee batted superbly to reach her seventh ODI half-century and put on an 80-run seventh-wicket stand with Luus. Knight ended the partnership when Jones held a sharp catch to remove Luus for 20. By the time Lee was caught by Danni Wyatt of Jenny Gunn in the 46th over, South Africa had reached 176.
Despite losing Ismail soon after, Marcia Letsoalo and Khaka added an unbroken 18-run stand to ensure South Africa batted out its quota of overs.
Shrubsole was the most successful England bowler, returning 3 for 35.
The two sides will now play three Twenty20 Internationals starting on February 18.