The Proteas Women came down from the high of beating England to another abject defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the Tri-Nations series.
They went down by eight wickets with 28 balls remaining after posting just 148-6, having chosen to bat, thus ending their interest in the series.
Chloe Tryon’s 35 was their best offering, while Lizelle Lee, Laura Wolvaardt and Dane van Niekerk all got starts – each scoring 25 – but failed to kick on.
They had started well enough, running up 40 in 28 balls in the power play, but thereafter closed shop after the nil return by Sune Luus, who was run out. Wolvaardt’s 25 came at a run rate of 67, Van Niekerk’s at 86.
Tryon tried her best to wrest control from the New Zealand bowlers, smashing her 35 off 15 balls with five fours and a six, but it was too little too late, although Mignon du Preez made an effort to keep up with 18 off 15.
Either side of Tryon, only nine fours were scored.
It was a must-win encounter for South Africa, who had always been up against it after being subject to two world-record scores in the opening fixtures in Taunton: 216 by New Zealand and 250 by England.
New Zealand’s hard-hitting top order of Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine effectively sealed the match with an opening stand of 130 in 13.2 overs.
Bates brought up her fifty from 39 balls and Devine from 31, and neither really needed to extend themselves in the process. There were a pair of late consolation wickets as Bates snicked a drive through to Lee behind the stumps for 62 before Katey Martin was bowled by Zintle Mali for 10. But two more fours in as many balls from Devine, including a lofted slog over the covers, sealed the contest with 4.4 overs to spare.
Shabnim Ismail was withdrawn from the team through injury before the toss and, as a result, South Africa’s bowling lacked the required cutting edge to halt the White Ferns.
