Johannesburg - It may be the result of too much T20 or 100-ball matches in the last year, but the Proteas found that slowing down allowed them to ‘go big’ with the bat in the third One-Day International against the West Indies on Thursday.
It was an important lesson just a few weeks before the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand. They have more time at their disposal and wise use of that time gives them the best opportunity to be successful.
“I think throughout the first two games the problems were that we lost wickets at regular intervals even though the run rate was fine,” Laura Wolvaardt acknowledged. The rhythm of the South African innings on Thursday was: quick, slow, slow and then very quick, as they put up 299/8 in their 50 overs.
“We went really hard up front and really hard at the back and we played really big, long and slow in the middle,” she added.
That rhythm was needed and it was effective. After losing two wickets inside the first seven overs, Wolvaardt and skipper Sune’ Luus, added 141 runs for the third wicket at a run rate of 4.7. Initially however they were happy to go along at just under four an over. “After losing those two early wickets, Sune and I felt that we needed to build a big partnership not just run-wise but time-wise as well.”
Wolvaardt starred, scoring 117, her third ODI century and an innings that went against her usual stylish nature as she had to graft for runs with the West Indies shutting off her favourite boundary scoring option through the off-side.
“It definitely wasn’t the easiest innings,” she said. “They bowled quite well up front, I was a bit tentative outside off-stump and nearly nicked off a couple of times. It was really hot and I had to work really hard to get singles. It was a big physical effort, but I’m really happy I got to the hundred. It’s been a while since I scored a hundred for South Africa, so to get there was amazing.”
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Personal satisfaction was aligned with happiness with the outcome for the team, who gained a lot of confidence from tying up the series 1-1 with the final match to come at the Wanderers on Sunday. South Africa, already without usual captain Dane Van Niekerk, who will miss the World Cup with a fractured foot, have also had to make do without Marizanne Kapp (shoulder) and Lizelle Lee (Covid) in the series.
“It will obviously be a lot different because they are big players for us,” said Wolvaardt. “I was glad we were able to pull out the result tonight, to show that we can win without them because that will be important for us, because everything won’t always go according to plan. I’m proud of the fight the girls are showing this series without those players.”