Visakhapatnam, Oct 9 (IANS) Nadine de Klerk hammered an unbeaten 84 after skipper Laura Wolvaardt anchored the innings with a patient 70 as South Africa defeated India by three wickets with seven balls to spare in Match 10 of ICC Women’s World Cup here on Thursday.

De Klerk hammered 16 runs from three balls in the 47th over, and with that Proteas needed 23 from 18 balls. A four by de Klerk off Deepti Sharma in the 48th over made it 12 from 12. The all-rounder sealed victory with two sixes in three balls off Amanjot Kaur as South Africa, bowled out for 69 by England in their opening match, came back roaring to secure their second win on the trot and moved to four points. They reached 252/7 in 48.5 overs to secure victory and move into the top four in the standings. This was India’s first defeat in three matches, and they too remain in the top four.

South Africa were staring defeat at 142/6, but Chloe Tryon (49) and Nadine de Klerk (84 off 54 balls) tore the Indian attack apart, raising a quick half-century partnership to take their team over the finishing line for a memorable win. De Klerk hammered five sixes in another brilliant display of power-hitting, scoring the highest score by a No.8 batter in ODIs to secure victory for South Africa.

South Africa had India on the ropes with the ball, reducing the hosts to 102/6 midway through their innings after electing to bowl first. But a sensational 77-ball 94 by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, who shared two big partnerships with the tail — 50 with Amanjot Kaur (13) and 88 for the eighth wicket with Sneh Rana, who played a superb cameo, stroking 33 off 24 balls as India reached a competitive 251 all out in 49.5 overs.

Richa smashed 11 fours and four sixes, going ballistic in the last 10 overs after showing ample patience shepherding the tail. She and Sneh hammered 98 runs in the last 10 overs, putting on a brilliant display of power-hitting. Sneh struck six fours to give support to Richa.

Chasing 252 for their second win in the event, South Africa landed in trouble early on as Kranti Gaud accounted for the dangerous Tazmin Brits, who struck a brilliant century in their previous match, for a three-ball duck, the first zero in an ODI match for the South African opener, with a brilliant catch of her own bowling.

Amanjot Kaur sent Sune Luus (5) for the wicket, and then Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana bowled well in tandem, Sneh castling Marizanne Kapp (20) while Deepti pouching a return catch from Anneke Bosch (1). When local girl N. Shree Charani trapped Sinalo Jafta lbw for 14, South Africa slumped to 81/5 in the 20th over and were staring at defeat.

Skipper Wolvaardt held the other end up as she kept the scoreboard ticking, hitting an occasional boundary. She found able support in Chloe Tryon as they raised 61 runs for the sixth wicket partnership. Wolvaardt struck eight boundaries during her 111-ball stay in the middle, but the going was painfully slow and the asking rate kept mounting.

An inspired bowling change by Harmanpreet Kaur to bring in Kranti Gaud paid off for India as the young pacer bowled Wolvaardt with a brilliant yorker.

With the asking rate mounting with each over and reaching 19 runs per over, Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk raised fifty runs for the seventh-wicket partnership, setting things up for a final assault at the target.

With de Klerk hammering Amanjot for a four, South Africa reached 200 at the end of 45 overs, needing 52 runs from 30 balls. De Klerk struck Sneh Rana for a six, followed by a four to boost the scoring rate, but a superb delivery by Sneh Rana had the Indian going into a loud appeal for an LBW. Though the on-field umpire turned it down, the DRS decision went in the hosts’ favour. The ball was hitting the stumps, as they sent back Chloe Tryson for 49 off 66 balls (5×4), leaving South Africa needing 41 from the last 24 balls.

De Klerk completed her half-century off 40 balls and ensured victory for South Africa in a match that started an hour late because of a brief spell of rain and a wet outfield.

Brief scores: India 251 all out in 49.5 overs (Richa Ghosh 94, Pratika Rawal 37, Sneh Rana 33; Chloe Tryon 3-32, Marizanne Kapp 2-45, Nadine de Klerk 2-52) lost to South Africa 252/7 in 48.5 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 70; Chloe Tryon 49, Nadine de Klerk 84 not out; Kranti Gaud 2-59, Sneh Rana 2-47) by three wickets.

–IANS

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