Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

Nat Sciver-Brunt
128(145) 18x4 - 0x6
Control %93%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 30 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
2 26 9 3 22 8 20 38
ME Bouchier
126(154) 22x4 - 2x6
Control %89%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 30 runs
  • 6x4 - 0x6
12 14 17 0 20 22 15 26

Best performances - Bowlers

N Mlaba
N Mlaba
O26
M4
R67
W6
Eco2.57
RHB
OFFLEG
3W2W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LK Bell
O9
M4
R27
W4
Eco3.00
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
2W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Match Details

Toss

England Women , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

Series result

England Women won the one-off match

Season

Hours of play (local time)

10.00 start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00

Match days

15,16,17 December 2024 (4-day match)

TV Umpires

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Scorecard Summary

ENGLAND WOMEN 395/9d(92 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN 281(88.4 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

ENGLAND WOMEN 236(74.1 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN 64(19.4 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

Scorer: K Vairavan | Commentator: Matt Roller

4.25pm: Knight is presented with the series trophy and joined by her team-mates. They pose for a group photo, before Knight lifts the trophy to cheers from the rest of the squad. That's a wrap from us. Firdose is quickly rewriting her report which will be available here shortly, but otherwise, thanks from myself and Miller for tuning in throughout the three days!

Heather Knight is the winning captain. "There were only three of us in the squad that have been involved in a Test win. We've really put the graft in over the last few days. The way Maia and Nat batted on the first day set it us. Credit to the groundstaff, a great Test wicket. [MacDonald-Gay?] So impressive, the way she was able to control her line and length. The conditions suited her quite well. Tried to attack the stumps. We missed Crossy but it's nice to know there's a few coming through the ranks. [Bell?] It's clear she's worked really hard on her game. She has struggled with consistency at times but that work has gone in to create moments like today. She's still working on stuff and still growing, but what a special moment for her. [Second-innings knock?] Nice to get some time in the middle. Not my most fluent. Obviously to put the game out of reach for the Saffas and put some time in their legs was important. [Good prep for the Ashes?] Looking forward to it!"

Laura Wolvaardt is next to speak. "Very disappointing. We played some good cricket for a lot of that Test match but let it slip in the last hour or two. All credit to England. [Middle session on day one?] That session hurt us quite a bit. We did well after that to bring it back, but that session hurt us the most. [Mlaba?] She was wonderful throughout: the way she bounced back on day one, and then to take six today was incredible. [Learning on the job?] I'd love to play more of it. Every time we get the chance to play one, we love it. There's only so much you can do in the nets. We'll learn from this one. [2024?] Big year, busy year. Bit of time off for us now. Good chance to reflect and spend some time at home."

Lauren Bell is named player of the match. Match figures of 8 for 76. "It's amazing: my first Test win, and we've worked really hard as a team over the last three days. [Preparation?] A lot of it is learning as you go. Throughout the game, I learned what was working for me. [Conditions?] The wind definitely wasn't easy. The pitch helped us out a lot. [Own form?] It's a work in progress but performances like that give me a lot of confidence that I'm moving in the right direction. [Bowling unit?] The other seamers and the spinners did a great job. It was a team effort."

4.17pm: That really was a world-class collapse from South Africa, with all the trimmings: superb new-ball bowling, controversial umpiring, four Bell wickets, two for Ecclestone, two chaotic run-outs, an absent hurt... and a partridge in a pear tree. Let's hear from the captains.

For England, it's a first win in a women's Test in a decade, after five draws and four defeats in their last nine matches.

286 runs is England's biggest winning margin in a women's Test, and the third-biggest overall.

4.09pm: An avalanche of a day, everything happening in a hurry at the end after a slow-burn. South Africa's 64 is a record low for them in women's Tests, beaking the unwanted record that they set in Perth earlier this year.

seb: "I guess bell kinda does get her 10fer then"

19.4
W
Ecclestone to Mlaba, OUT, charges down, slaps hard to mid-off on the bounce. Clangs off Bell's shin, and she gathers and throws down the stumps at the non-striker's end... dreadful running from Mlaba, whose bat was hovering over the crease in mid-air as she looked to get out the way of the throw, but not grounded! Given out on referral, and with Hlubi absent hurt, England have won!

N Mlaba run out 14 (10m 9b 3x4 0x6) SR: 155.55

19.3
0
Ecclestone to Mlaba, no run, big shout for lbw, but it sounded like there were two noises. Turned down
19.2
1
Ecclestone to Sekhukhune, 1 run, goes again on the slog-sweep, but only out to deep backward square leg this time
19.1
4
Ecclestone to Sekhukhune, FOUR, swung away through square leg! 16 off the last four balls. Turning into the arc, slogged away just past Beaumont's left shoulder at short leg as she took evasive action

The broadcasters at SuperSport say Hlubi is unlikely to bat, which would leave England needing only one more wicket.

END OF OVER:
19 | 13 Runs | SA-W: 59/8

  • Nonkululeko Mlaba14 (7b)
  • Tumi Sekhukhune0 (8b)
  • Ryana MacDonald-Gay1-0-12-0
  • Sophie Ecclestone4-3-2-2
18.6
4
MacDonald-Gay to Mlaba, FOUR, wide outside off, slashed through backward point! Three boundaries in a row. Swings, swings hard, and is rewarded for the intent as it skews away off the toe
18.5
4
MacDonald-Gay to Mlaba, FOUR, width outside off, flogged over the infield for four more! Mlaba is already SA's second-highest scorer, flat-batting over wide mid-off

SA Women 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st8A BoschL Wolvaardt
2nd4A BoschA Dercksen
3rd10S LuusA Dercksen
4th9M KappS Luus
5th0M KappN de Klerk
6th2M KappCL Tryon
7th11M KappS Jafta
8th0M KappTS Sekhukhune
9th20TS SekhukhuneN Mlaba