Image Credit- CA
After suffering a crushing loss three days prior,
Australia was able to gather themselves and win the ODI series with strong
performances from Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath. It indicates that they are
unstoppable with an 8-4 lead in the multi-format competition going into the
Test match.
After Alyssa Healy had made a clean half-century,
Mooney led Australia’s innings with an undefeated 82 off 91 balls, but she
never quite found her game. After dismissing McGrath and Ash Gardner in quick
succession, South Africa managed to stay in the game, but Mooney was supported
by Annabel Sutherland and Alana King, who scored useful runs down the order.
The real damage was then done by McGrath and Kim Garth
with the ball. Garth’s swing removed Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch, while
McGrath took four balls to hold both Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp, the
crucial wicket.
After 14 overs, rain cut short South Africa’s chase,
and it appeared it might not let up long enough to finish the match. However,
it eventually resumed as a 31-over match. South Africa required ten an over
right away, but it proved to be much too much for them, as wickets went
quickly, with King, who was one over off a hat-trick, taking three in an over.
In the ODIs, Wolvaardt was unable to establish himself
and quickly overtook Garth for the lead slip. Darcie Brown, who came in for a
rested Megan Schutt, was bowling quickly and giving the British players a
stinging wrist hit.
The best hope for South Africa was dashed when Kapp,
who had been so motivating in the second game, assisted McGrath to
deep-backward square-leg after the Brits battled through the agony to reach
deep midwicket.
De Klerk and Sune Luus added 50 either side of the
rain delay, but Australia had plenty of breathing room.