24/11Result
1st T20I, England Women tour of South Africa at East London, Nov 24 2024
ENG Women won by 4 wkts (4b rem)
Player of the Match
Nat Sciver-BruntEngland Women
24/11Result
1st T20I, England Women tour of South Africa at East London, Nov 24 2024
ENG Women won by 4 wkts (4b rem)
Player of the Match
Nat Sciver-BruntEngland Women

5.22pm So, that's a wrap from Buffalo Park. England are up and running in their multi-format series. From Miller, Valkerie, Firdose, Chetan and the team, see you next time!

Time for the presentations:

The Player of the Match is Nat Sciver-Brunt: "The openers had got us off to a good start, up with the rate, it got slower and lower but partnership with Amy broke the back of the chase. Whoever comes out in that situation, the idea is to get to know everyone. Hitting to the leg-side, not allowing [Wolvaardt] to hit to the off-side was the plan.

Laura Wolvaardt: "Came out with good intent, 150 would have been a good total. Good momentum going into the second innings but couldn't defend it. Showing intent early on in the powerplay. In the World Cup we didn't use our depth. Brings a bit more risk, but nice that we bat deep. We were very good for a lot of that bowling innings, frustrating... tough to lose. A lot of positives, but let it slip in one or two pressure moments."

Heather Knight: "I probably should have batted, it did get worse. We wrestled momentum at the back end of the powerplay with wickets, and Charlie and Soph were excellent. A little scrappy, pleased to get the win, but room for growth. Our spinners all bring different things, on and off the field. Soph was on the money, so hard to play when she bowls like that. A lot of different options, they are a fundamental part of our gameplan. The smartness of Nat's innings, and Amy's momentum-shift, took the game back in our favour. Nat is awesome, calm head under pressure. Nice to start with a win, now to try to win the series as we go back to Joburg."

Hypocaust: "This is the most runs England women have scored after the fall of the 4th wicket to win a T20I run chase (78). Their previous record was 64, in going from 54/4 to chase a target of 118 against New Zealand at Bath in 2007."

5.07pm They were made to work for it, but Nat Sciver-Brunt's superb half-century, allied to Amy Jones' timely injection of power, broke the back of a stiff chase. The World Cup finalists have been felled in the series opener.

Sonny: "NSB is quite possibly the most clutch player England have ever had, male or female. Stokes for me is a close second. She's probably the best woman's cricketer we've ever produced"

19.2
1lb
Marx to Ecclestone, 1 leg bye, full length, on the toes, flicked to the on-side, and England take first blood in this series!
19.1
W
Marx to Nat Sciver-Brunt, OUT, flicked off the legs, straight to backward square! Marx strikes, and England's means of production is seized! It's a standing ovation for Sciver-Brunt though... England can't muff this, can they...

Nat Sciver-Brunt c Mlaba b Marx 59 (60m 54b 7x4 0x6) SR: 109.25

In fact, it is scores level as the umpire decided it wasn't a wide... is there a twist?

END OF OVER:
19 | 11 Runs | ENG-W: 142/5 (1 run required from 6 balls, RR: 7.47, RRR: 1.00)

  • Freya Kemp5 (5b)
  • Nat Sciver-Brunt59 (53b)
  • Nonkululeko Mlaba4-0-23-0
  • Nadine de Klerk4-0-20-2
18.6
4b
Mlaba to Kemp, 4 byes, turns down the leg-side, and away to the rope! That, as they say, will be that... Kemp was aiming for a reverse again, but bailed out as she saw where the ball was headed. The keeper could do nothing
18.5
2
Mlaba to Kemp, 2 runs, reverses her stance, to sweep from outside off, past the keeper's gloves... a strangled appeal as the ball looped off Kemp's gloves
18.4
1
Mlaba to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 1 run, flicked with the turn, to the on-side. Singles everywhere now
18.3
2
Mlaba to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 2 runs, languid clip out of the full length, out to wide long-on, and more hustling running grabs a precious second
18.2
1
Mlaba to Kemp, 1 run, half forward, fenced off an inside edge through square leg to hand the strike back
18.1
1
Mlaba to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 1 run, another urgent sweep, out of the full length on the legs, swept up on the run at deep backward square and it's just the single

END OF OVER:
18 | 9 Runs | ENG-W: 131/5 (12 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.27, RRR: 6.00)

  • Nat Sciver-Brunt55 (50b)
  • Freya Kemp2 (2b)
  • Nadine de Klerk4-0-20-2
  • Nonkululeko Mlaba3-0-16-0
17.6
1
de Klerk to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 1 run, hustles another single to long-on... England are in command of their destiny as we enter the final two overs
17.5
2
de Klerk to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 2 runs, back of a length, tight line, cracked hard out to deep midwicket, and excellent running brings two! De Klerk gathered at the bowler's end but couldn't whip off the bails in time
17.4
0
de Klerk to Nat Sciver-Brunt, no run, leading edge, just wide of the bowler! Jittery moment, as NSB is early through her drive, but gets away with it

Hypocaust: "Nat Sciver-Brunt's fifteen 50 scores are the most made by any non-opening batter in women's T20Is."

17.3
1
de Klerk to Kemp, 1 run, bashed off the back foot, wide line, good sprawling intercept in the covers to cut off the boundary

It's a run a ball now...

17.2
1
de Klerk to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 1 run, winds into a cramped pull to midwicket and jogs the single
17.1
4
de Klerk to Nat Sciver-Brunt, FOUR, tossed up outside off, drilled through long-off! Lovely strike, up comes her fifty, and that's put the pressure on the bowler right at the outset of this over

De Klerk returns

END OF OVER:
17 | 7 Runs | ENG-W: 122/5 (21 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.17, RRR: 7.00)

  • Nat Sciver-Brunt47 (45b)
  • Freya Kemp1 (1b)
  • Nonkululeko Mlaba3-0-16-0
  • Nondumiso Shangase3-0-20-1
16.6
1
Mlaba to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 1 run, clipped out of the full length, another single to keep the strike. We are heading down to the wire at this rate...
16.5
4
Mlaba to Nat Sciver-Brunt, FOUR, too full down the leg-side, paddled through backward square! The timing, and the angle, is perfect from NSB... vital for England
16.4
1
Mlaba to Kemp, 1 run, lots of air outside off, and a firm drive from the left-handed Kemp, out to deep cover
16.3
1
Mlaba to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 1 run, flicked away to the square leg sweeper... another single to the cause, as Wolvaardt brings the field in for the new batter
16.2
0
Mlaba to Nat Sciver-Brunt, no run, tight line, met on the back foot with a nudge into the off side
16.1
0
Mlaba to Nat Sciver-Brunt, no run, walks to the off-side for a slog-sweep, thumped on the pads! A huge appeal, not out is the call... but South Africa review... it looked leg-sides, but we shall see... oof, hitting very much in line with leg, maybe missing, maybe clipping? Clipping leg! Review retained, but how close was that!

NSB on strike... how crucial is she now...

END OF OVER:
16 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG-W: 115/5 (28 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 7.18, RRR: 7.00)

  • Nat Sciver-Brunt41 (40b)
  • Nondumiso Shangase3-0-20-1
  • Ayanda Hlubi3-0-40-0

A vital knock from Jones, but has she left the stage too soon? Still a bit to do from here

15.6
W
Shangase to Jones, OUT, huge wipe from Jones and she's bowled! It looked like a muffed stumping at first, but the ball flicked the outside edge of the off stump... Jones waits on the edge of the boundary for confirmation. She went for the blind gallop, looking to seize the moment, and yes, it's a clear deflection off the stump and through the keeper's legs

AE Jones b Shangase 31 (24m 19b 4x4 1x6) SR: 163.15

15.5
4
Shangase to Jones, FOUR, long-levered launch to long-on, and Marx lets the ball wriggle through! Sloppy fielding, beaten on the third bounce
15.4
1
Shangase to Nat Sciver-Brunt, 1 run, good length, fuller and arrow-straight, England push for the second as mid-on rushes in

ENG Women 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st29DN WyattME Bouchier
2nd6SIR DunkleyME Bouchier
3rd20Nat Sciver-BruntSIR Dunkley
4th10HC KnightNat Sciver-Brunt
5th50AE JonesNat Sciver-Brunt
6th27Nat Sciver-BruntFG Kemp
7th1S EcclestoneFG Kemp