Satterthwaite stars as New Zealand Women victorious
Amy Satterthwaite triggered an extraordinary collapse to bowl New Zealand Women to a thrilling 12-run win over South Africa Women in the first One-Day International at Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Saturday (October 8).
With the first three games of this seven-match series counting towards the International Cricket Council Women’s Championship, plenty hinged on the first showdown between the teams on South African soil. The host appeared on course for its first ever win against New Zealand when, chasing 128 for victory, it reached 115 for 5 with more than 12 overs in the bag.
That’s when Satterthwaite got into the act, firing out the lower order in next to no time as South Africa lost its last five wickets without the addition of a single run in the space of 28 deliveries to be bowled out for 115. Satterthwaite finished with ODI-best figures of 4 for 13 from nine overs.
New Zealand’s seventh win in eight games against South Africa – one match was abandoned without a ball being bowled, at the 2005 ICC Women's World Cup – extended its lead over the host nation on the ICC Women’s Championshiptable to three points. Its ninth win in 16 games took New Zealand’s tally to 18 points and kept it in fourth place, behind Australia (30), West Indies (20) and England (19), while South Africa remained in fifth position, on 15 points.
Dane van Niekerk, the South African skipper, stuck New Zealand in on an overcast day with light showers delaying the start, and was rewarded through the persevering medium-paced trio of Ayabonga Khaka (3 for 27), Marizanne Kapp (2 for 13) and Moseline Daniels, the left-armer who took 2 for 29.
With its top order carved open, New Zealand found itself in deep trouble at 66 for 6 and 91 for 8 before a 36-run stand for the ninth wicket between Erin Bermingham and Lea Tahuhu bailed the team out. Bermingham top-scored with 33, one of only four batters to touch double figures, though New Zealand did receive a bonus in the form of 13 wides.
South Africa was quickly reduced to 34 for 4 as Tahuhu (3 for 41) wrecked the top order, but Laura Wolvaardt, the opener, and van Niekerk hauled them back on track with a stand of 44 for the fifth wicket. Even after Wolvaardt was caught and bowled by Satterthwaite for a patient 33 that came off 78 deliveries, its chase was well on course as van Niekerk found another able ally in Chloe Tryon.
The two put on 37 for the sixth wicket and appeared set for the final push when Satterthwaite cleaned up van Niekerk for 37, made in 79 deliveries with five fours. That sparked a stunning collapse as the next four wickets too fell at the same total of 115, Bermingham (2 for 17)) complementing Satterthwaite with the scalps of Tryon and Masabata Klaas.
The second ODI will be played at the same venue on October 11.