VISAKHAPATNAM – In a contest that had everything except comfortable viewing for South African supporters, Nadine de Klerk once again proved her mettle in the crucible of World Cup cricket, steering the Proteas Women to a nerve-shredding three-wicket victory over Bangladesh at the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Monday.
With just three balls remaining and the outcome hanging in the balance, de Klerk sealed the deal in trademark fashion – a towering six that sent the South African contingent into raptures and left Bangladesh wondering what might have been.
The all-rounder’s unbeaten 37 off 29 deliveries, punctuated by four boundaries and that decisive maximum, capped off another masterclass in pressure cricket from the player who is fast becoming the Proteas’ go-to performer in crunch situations.
What unfolded at the ACA-VDCA Stadium was a tale of two halves for the Proteas. Chasing a competitive 233, South Africa found themselves staring down the barrel at 78 for five, their World Cup dreams appearing to unravel in real-time.
Enter the cavalry in the form of seasoned campaigners Chloe Tryon and Marizanne Kapp, who combined for a match-defining 85-run sixth-wicket partnership that wrestled momentum back from the Tigers.
Tryon, displaying the kind of calculated aggression that has defined her career, carved out a crucial 62 off 69 balls, her innings adorned with six boundaries and a six. At the other end, Kapp provided the perfect foil with a measured 56 off 71 deliveries, her four boundaries and a six evidence of her ability to find the fence when required.
“The nerves are shot,” admitted a visibly relieved captain Laura Wolvaardt post-match, the tension of the chase etched across her features. “That was a lot closer than we would have liked, but I am glad we got the points in the end.”
The foundation for this white-knuckle finish was laid early in the Proteas’ innings when their chase got off to the worst possible start. Opener Tazmin Brits, still searching for form, recorded her second consecutive duck, chipping her first delivery straight back to Nahida Akter with the scoreboard reading an ominous 3 for one.
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Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch attempted to steady the ship with a promising 55-run partnership, but a communication breakdown resulted in the captain’s run-out, triggering a catastrophic middle-order collapse that saw four wickets tumble for just 20 runs.
The dismissals of Bosch (28), Annerie Dercksen (2), and Sinalo Jafta (4) in quick succession left the Proteas teetering on the precipice at 78 for five after 23 overs.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh had constructed a defendable total of 232 for six, built on the foundation of patient accumulation before exploding in the death overs.
The architect of their late surge was Shorna Akter, whose pyrotechnics with the bat produced the fastest half-century by a Bangladesh player in World Cup cricket. Her unbeaten 51 off just 35 balls, featuring three sixes and three boundaries, transformed what looked like a below-par total into a challenging proposition.
Veteran Sharmin Akhter provided the backbone with a measured 50 off 77 deliveries, while Ritu Moni’s cameo of 19 not out off eight balls added crucial late runs.
The Bangladesh innings followed a peculiar trajectory – they managed just 73 runs in the first 25 overs before plundering 82 in the final 10, leaving the Proteas with a far stiffer challenge than expected.
For the Proteas bowling unit, it was a case of what might have been. After restricting Bangladesh effectively through the middle overs, they struggled to contain the late onslaught that added crucial runs to the target.
Nonkululeko Mlaba emerged as the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2-42 from her 10 overs, while Tryon (1-41) and de Klerk (1-39) chipped in with a wicket apiece.
Captain Wolvaardt acknowledged the bowling unit’s efforts while highlighting areas for improvement: “We tried to stay as patient as we could. We thought the slower bowlers were working quite well, so we tried to bowl the slowest bowlers that we had and really tried to stay patient.”
The victory keeps South Africa’s World Cup campaign on track, but the manner of this win – snatched from the jaws of what looked like certain defeat – will provide both confidence and concern for the coaching staff.
De Klerk’s ability to deliver under pressure, following her heroics against India in the previous encounter, marks her as a player capable of shouldering responsibility when the spotlight burns brightest.
As Wolvaardt reflected: “Kappie and Chloe were absolutely amazing in the chase. It wasn’t the start that we would have wanted, lost wickets early, but that partnership got us back into the game and Nadine finished it again at the end there.”
With Masabata Klaas (10 not out) providing valuable support in the final moments, the Proteas lived to fight another day, but they’ll know that margins this fine won’t always fall in their favor.
On Friday 17 October, the Proteas Women take on Sri Lanka at 11:30 ( SA time).
