13th African Games | Heartbreak as women’s cricketers lose in super-over

Written on 13 March 2024. Posted in SA Cricket.

By GARY LEMKE

Drama with a capital “D”. Heartbreak with a capital “H”. Why do the cricket gods always seem to deal South Africa with such a cruel hand when it comes to major tournaments?

It’s well documented how the men’s Proteas have been denied by the dreaded D/L system in Cricket World Cups and in fact they tied their 1999 semi-final with Australia but were eliminated.

Now, at the Achimota Senior Secondary School in Accra, Team SA’s women lost out on winning the inaugural women’s cricket gold at the 13th African Games when they lost to Zimbabwe. So, instead of gold, it was silver.

We are reminded that the Springboks won the 2023 Rugby World Cup by beating France, England and New Zealand by one-point margins in three successive knockout matches. The nation celebrated with a countrywide bus tour that lasted a week.

On Wednesday, Nondumiso Shangase’s gallant warriors lost in a super-over after both they and Zimbabwe had posted 112 runs from their 20 overs. In that super-over Annerie Dirksen was bowled first ball and Miane Smit was run out on the third ball, which meant Team SA had scored 2 for 2. Zimbabwe needed three runs to win gold. They needed only two when Kelis Ndhlovu despatched Jane Winster to the boundary and the celebrations started. As did the tears.

Those are the fine lines that exist in sports. Team SA had even lost out, by one run, to Namibia in their opening game when D/L reduced the game to a lottery.

Shangase had won the toss and sent Zimbabwe into bat. They got off to a bright start, but Leah Jones got the breakthrough when she got Sharne Mayers in the fourth over (18-1). Ndhlovu then played a gem – with a rapid fire 28 off 27 balls. Shangase removed her lbw with the last ball of the 11th over, but at 67-2, Zimbabwe were on their way.

Modester Mupachikwa held the innings together with 31 off 48 balls, but Pellagia Mujaji’s unbeaten 20 off 17 balls was the difference in getting Zimbabwe to a competitive 112-5.

However, it still seemed a total Team SA could chase down.

They lost Simone Lourens (3) in the second over and Annerie Dercksen (13) at the end of the third over. The in-form Faye Tunnicliffe was then run out for 10 off eight balls and suddenly Team SA were at 20-3 in the fifth over.

From there wickets fell at regular intervals. A sixth-wicket stand of 36 between Jones and Smit provided hope before Jones (15) fell with the score. That meant Team SA needed 28 runs off 22 balls with four wickets left.

They got to 112-9 and needed one run off the last ball. However, in trying to run through for the gold medal-winning run, Gandhi Jafta were left on 112-7, and Smit was left stranded on an unbeaten 31 from 32 balls.

And then came the super-over.

SCORES

Zimbabwe 112 for 5 in 20 overs (Modester Muphachikwa 31; Nonsumiso Shangase 1-9, Ghandi Jafta 1-14, Jane Winster 1-20, Kayla Reyneke 1-21, Leah Jones 1-25)

Team SA 112-8 in 20 overs (Miane Smit 31no, Leah Jones 15, Karabo Meso 12, Faye Tunnicliffe 10)

Scores tied.

Zimbabwe (4-0) won on a super over (Team SA 2-2)

Source: Team SA

Cricket, SA Team, SASCOC, 13th African Games, Womens Team