A brilliant spell of bowling by Monica Mofokeng helped Free State (FS) edge out South Western Districts (SWD) by a single run on the second day of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Girls U19 Week in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday.
In a thrilling affair at the Main Oval at Michaelhouse, Mafokeng grabbed an astonishing 5-5 in 7.1 overs, four of which were maidens, to help her side defend 63. After winning the toss and asking their opponents to bat, SWD fully vindicated their decision by rolling over FS in 18.4 overs. Jakkie Cilliers was the top batter with an unbeaten 14.
Then at 40-2, SWD appeared to be cruising to their target when Mafokeng intervened to send them tumbling in 27.1 overs.
Elsewhere, Kei failed to replicate the performance that saw them upset KwaZulu-Natal Inland on the opening day, and instead slipped to a heavy 52-run loss to Mpumalanga, who had Nicolien Janse van Rensburg to thank for taking them to victory.
The all-rounder recorded figures of 5-12 in 4.2 overs to leave the opposition all out for 89 as they hunted a winning target of 142.
Katie Prior was the star with the bat for Mpumalanga after posting the overall second-highest score of the day, an individual performance that yielded 80 off 67 balls (8 fours, 4 sixes).
That top honour of the day honour went to Proteas Women all-rounder Nadine de Klerk, who first made 82 (78 balls, 5×4, 3×6), before claiming 5-26 in 5.2 overs to help Northerns narrowly edge out KwaZulu-Natal Coastal.
In one of the high-profile clashes of the week so far, Northerns won the toss and batted first before going on to post 166 in 43.4 overs. Aided by 41 extras, KZNC ran them close, before falling just short on 158 – a defeat by eight runs.
In other action from day two, 89 played 47, both all out, as Western Province trumped Gauteng by 42 runs thanks to 4-6 by Leah Jones for the winners.
KZN Inland failed to recover from their upset loss to Kei on day one and were again beaten by a surprise opponent, this time Limpopo pipping the local side by two wickets thanks in the main to 38 extras.
Easterns crushed Boland by six wickets in a performance set up by Karabo Magwagwa’s 3-10.
Finally, Northern Cape beat Border by 43 runs, while North West were 24-run victors over Eastern Province in a match that saw both sides concede 52 extras apiece.
Day three of the CSA Girls U19 Week continues on Wednesday. To follow the live action from Pietermaritzburg, visit www.websports.co.za.
Photo: Cricket South Africa (Facebook)
