England romped to a 286-run win over South Africa on day three of the one-off Test in Bloemfontein as they skittled the Proteas for their lowest score of 64.
The hosts were demolished in 19.4 overs chasing a record 351 at Mangaung Oval, slipping to 31-5 inside 12 as Lauren Bell (4-27) and Lauren Filer (1-12) caused havoc with the new ball and all-rounders Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon were dismissed for ducks.
The lack of DRS in this match was once again a talking point with Annerie Dercksen (9) given out caught at short leg by the third umpire despite the absence of UltraEdge technology to prove she had hit Bell’s delivery into Tammy Beaumont’s hands.
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Annerie Dercksen was bizarrely given out caught at short leg by the third umpire despite no UltraEdge technology
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt (4) and opening partner Anneke Bosch (4) were out lbw to Bell and Filer respectively, while Dercksen’s controversial exit was followed by Bell bowling Sune Luus through the gate for one with a beauty that pinged off stump.
When De Klerk was run out via a combination of Danni Wyatt-Hodge and wicketkeeper Amy Jones and Tryon was pinned in front by premier England spinner Sophie Ecclestone (2-7 from 4.4 overs), it was a matter of if and not when England clinched victory.
The winning moment came when Nonkululeko Mlaba (14) was run out by Bell at the non-striker’s end after failing to ground her bat, with South Africa No 11 Ayanda Hlubi unable to take the field due to injury.
A Proteas collapse of 7-44 mirrored their first-innings failure when they tumbled from 237-7 to 281 all out in reply to England’s 395-9 declared to trial by a mammoth 114 runs.
Heather Knight’s England add success in the Test to their 3-0 sweep in the T20 series and 2-1 win in the ODI leg and will now head to Australia after Christmas for the Women’s Ashes full of confidence.
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South Africa were 12-2 on the stroke of tea after Bell and Filer dismissed Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch respectively lbw
England had earlier been dismissed for 236 in their second innings, with Knight (90) falling 10 runs short of what would have been a third Test hundred, after her 168 against Australia in Canberra in 2022 and 157 against the same opposition on home soil back in 2013.
Knight was one of six second-innings wickets for Mlaba as the spinner backed up her four strikes first time around and claimed the first 10-for by a South Africa woman in Tests.
It was just a shame for Mlaba that her heroics came in such a dispiriting defeat.
More to follow…
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South Africa spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba took six wickets in the second innings for 10 in the match
England in South Africa – full schedule
T20 series (England won 3-0)
ODI series (England won 2-1)
One-off Test
- December 15-18 in Bloemfontein – England won by 286 runs
