CAPE TOWN, South Africa, CMC – Veteran Pamela Lavine smashed a rapid 44 for West Indies but the Caribbean side slumped to a rare loss to South Africa in the second match of their four-match Women’s One Day International (ODI) series yesterday.
Replying to the West Indies’ 182 for nine off 50 overs, South Africa cruised to a comfortable seven-wicket victory at 186 for three off 40.5 overs at Newlands to level the four-match series at 1-1.
The 20-year-old Mignon du Preez guided the South Africans to victory with an unbeaten half century.
Coming off a five-wicket victory Friday in the opening match, West Indies, who had also defeated the South Africans at the ICC Women’s World Cup in March and the World Twenty20 Championship in June, made a fairly steady start.
The 40-year-old Lavine, a cousin of West Indies batting legend Gordon Greenidge, blasted her 44 off just 33 balls with seven fours and one six.
The consistent Stafanie Taylor, who scored a century in Friday’s win, struck 38 with five boundaries and Shanel Daley stroked an unbeaten 38 at the end to boost the West Indies total.
The 16-year-old leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk led the South Africans’ bowling attack with three for 25, and off-spinner Sunette Loubser picked up two for 25.
Opening bowlers Shakera Selman and Taylor then performed economically but the South Africans were patient and strode steadily toward victory.
Young Du Preez played with maturity and repelled the diligent West Indies bowling attack with a polished 63 off 80 balls, laced with seven boundaries.
From 44 for two, they got 31 from Cri-zelda Brits (31) before du Preez and Alicia Smith (35 not out) staged an unbroken 58-run fourth-wicket stand to seal the win.
