CRICKET – SOUTH Africa opened their account in ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 with a comprehensive six-wicket win over New Zealand, reports ICC-Cricket.com.
The Proteas bounced back strongly after their 10-wicket defeat to England in their tournament opener. Meanwhile, the White Ferns have now suffered consecutive losses, having gone down to Australia in their first game.
Chasing 231, Tazmin Brits led the Proteas batting with a superb century (101 off 89 balls), an innings that featured 15 fours.
Her exploits saw Brits become the first woman to hit five ODI tons in a calendar year. At the other end, Sune Luus (83*) supported her with a composed half century as South Africa comfortably chased down the target of 232.
Brits and Luus stitched together a 159-run stand for the second wicket that put South Africa firmly in control after the early dismissal of Laura Wolvaardt - snatching the game away from New Zealand.
For the White Ferns, Amelia Kerr picked up the last two wickets, dismissing Anneke Bosch and Marizanne Kapp. Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu, who claimed the key wicket of Brits, were also among the wickets but their efforts could not prevent South Africa from sealing the win.
In the first innings, Nonkululeko Mlaba had shone with the ball for the Proteas. Having been 187/4 at one stage, New Zealand lost momentum with regular wickets at the death.
Mlaba was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/40, which also included the crucial wicket of Sophie Devine (85), while Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon chipped in with a wicket each.
Mlaba also claimed the wicket of Brooke Halliday, a caught and bowled dismissal that broke the latter’s 88-run stand with Devine.
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