Sri Lanka 305 for 4 (Athapaththu 195*, de Silva 50*, Khaka 2-54) beat South Africa 301 for five (Wolvaardt 184*, Dilhari 2-47) by six wickets
Sri Lanka had by no means scored 300 in an ODI earlier than, a lot much less chased that a lot however on a flat pitch with a quick outfield, Athapaththu fancied their possibilities. She hit the ball cleanly, was brutal straight down the bottom and fast between the wickets and that was after opening the bowling and delivering a full quota of ten overs with a return of 1 for 59.
She was the senior accomplice in her opening stand with 18-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne and took the struggle to South Africa. They placed on 90 inside 16 overs earlier than Gunaratne was given out lbw to Delmi Tucker, who was additionally concerned in the second wicket. She took a very good catch at backward level to dismiss Prasadani Weerakkody off Nadine de Klerk’s bowling and South Africa sensed a possibility to make inroads into Sri Lanka’s center order.
Wolvaardt introduced again Ayabonga Khaka, enjoying in her 100th ODI, and he or she had fast success. She had Hansima Karunaratne caught behind, chasing a large one, off the primary ball of her fourth over and Kavisha Dilhari caught behind down the leg facet two balls later. Sinalo Jafta took each catches however the second did her soiled as her shoulder hit the bottom awkwardly and he or she needed to go away the sector. Uncapped 16-year-old Karabo Meso changed her behind the stumps and thought she had wicket off De Silva’s first ball however umpire Jacqueline Williams was unmoved. Sri Lanka have been 126 for 4 in the 21st over and Athapaththu was nonetheless there.
The Sri Lankan captain was unfazed by the mini-collapse and easily stored batting. She introduced up 100 off 78 balls in the 26th over and stored Sri Lanka on observe as South Africa unraveled. Their fielding was sloppy; overthrows have been supplied aplenty and importantly, Athapaththu was dropped on 128 by Sune Luus in deep mid-wicket off Nonkululeko Mlaba in the 32nd over. At the time, Sri Lanka nonetheless wanted 106 runs from 18.three overs.
Athapaththu made probably the most of her let-off and continued to breeze her method via the chase with Silva offering sturdy assist and South Africa dropping their method. They despatched down 19 wides and two no-balls in whole and Sri Lanka cashed in. Athapaththu and de Silva mixed boundary hitting with distinctive strike rotation and reached the goal with five-and-half-overs – 33 balls – to spare to share the trophy
Wolvaardt’s second successive ton in useless
Earlier, South Africa would have been assured of claiming it after Wolvaardt scored her quickest – off 100 balls – and second successive hundred in the sequence in opposition to Sri Lanka. In the absence of Tazmin Brits – who underwent surgical procedure on a meniscus tear in her left knee at the moment – Wolvaardt has embraced the duty of each anchoring and accelerating the innings. She was the dominant accomplice in the opening partnership of 116 with Lara Goodall and scored 83 off 74 balls, whereas Goodall, enjoying in her 50th ODI, contributed 31 off 55.
South Africa’s innings stuttered via the center interval because the Sri Lankan spinners squeezed them. Goodall, Tucker and Luus have been dismissed for eight runs in the house of 18 balls, however recovered because of their most dependable allrounder Marizanne Kapp. She and Wolvaardt shared a run-a-ball partnership of 63, and Kapp was on the different finish when Wolvaardt reached her hundred earlier than she was run-out on the finish of the 35th over. South Africa have been 187 for Four on the time and the arrival of de Klerk introduced an elevated depth.
De Klerk and Wolvaardt placed on 92 in 80 balls for the sixth wicket, with de Klerk simply establishing herself as a finisher, it was Wolvaardt who was aggressive in the stand. She hit her subsequent 84 runs in 47 balls and South Africa scored 114 runs in their final 15 overs, at 7.6 runs an over, which appeared to set them up effectively till Athapaththu had the ultimate say.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and ladies’s cricket