Durban, April 19 (IANS) Skipper Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus struck commanding half-centuries each as a clinical South Africa Women thrashed a sloppy India by eight wickets and secured a 2-0 lead in the five-match series at Kingsmead on Sunday.

Chasing a below-par 148, the Proteas openers made a mockery of the Indian attack with a 106-run stand. Laura led from the front by finding gaps with immaculate ease and smashed a 34-ball 54, laced with seven fours and a six, while Luus remained equally effective by hitting 57 off 46 deliveries, studded with six fours and a maximum.

After the duo fell to Shreyanka Patil, Tazmin Brits (20 not out) and Annerie Dercksen (12 not out) wrapped up the proceedings with 17 balls to spare to get a comprehensive win for the Proteas. It also helped that Indian bowlers weren’t penetrative enough, gave away too many runs in fielding lapses and middle order collapse meant they failed to capitalise on the good start provided by Shafali Verma’s 57.

The chase began with intent as Laura greeted Kranti Gaud with a crisp boundary through backward point in the opening over. Shreyanka Patil was introduced in the second over but fared no better, as Laura stepped out to drive her through mid-off for another four, before the Proteas captain creamed Kranti Gaud for a boundary.

Sune joined the party in the fourth over, clearing the long-on ropes for the first six of the chase off Shreyanka. By the time the Powerplay concluded, South Africa had raced to 66/0, with Deepti Sharma conceding 12 runs in her opening over.

With India prone to misfields, Laura reached her fifty off 30 balls by creaming Arundhati over extra cover. But she fell in the 12th over, caught by Arundhati at long-on off Shreyanka. But the damage was already done – Sune reached her own half-century off 41 balls after having effectively countered the Indian spinners.

Even after Sune was caught by Kranti Gaud off Shreyanka, India continued to give reprieves to South Africa. Smriti Mandhana dropped Tazmin Brits at long-on in the 15th over, followed by Arundhati shelling her chance at the same position in the next over. Tazmin sealed the victory by cutting debutant Anushka Sharma for a boundary through point, ensuring that it was all easy for Proteas to get a clinical win.

Brief Scores: India 147 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 57, Anushka Sharma 28; Chloe Tryon 3-22, Tumi Sekhukhune 3-31) lost to South Africa 148/2 in 17.1 overs (Sune Luus 57, Laura Wolvaardt 54; Shreyanka Patil 2-35) by eight wickets.

–IANS

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