at a display of batting supremacy at Bloemfontein, Nat Sciver-Brunt achieved the fastest hundred in women’s Test cricket, off 96 balls, surpassing rookie Maia Bouchier, who had momentarily held the record for herself, with a 124-ball performance.
England chose to bat first and took full advantage of the circumstances on a level wicket. Each of their initial three partnerships had a value exceeding fifty runs.Bouchier and Sciver-Brunt displayed the finest of their attacking mentality with their third-wicket stand of 174 off 172 balls, allowing them to score a little under five runs per over for the first two sessions and leaving South Africa with no options.
During the first session and a half, Laura Wolvaardt utilized eight bowlers, all of whom had disciplinary issues. They struggled on the field, allowing the opposition to hit 47 fours and two sixes in the first two sessions, which made their day longer and more challenging.
South Africa will see their two early-game opportunities as their greatest chances to claim a wicket. On the second ball of the morning, Marizanne Kapp protested for an LBW against Tammy Beaumont, but rookie umpire Kerrin Klaaste declared it not out.
South Africa was unable to review without DRS. When she pushed Ayanda Hlubi to Sune Luus at mid-wicket, giving Hlubi her maiden Test wicket, Beaumont was on four at the time and dismissed for 21. Soon after, Bouchier had a mid-pitch mishap with Heather Knight, but Tumi Sekhukhune’s attempt to hit the striker’s end went wide. At the moment, Bouchier was on nine.
When the England opener swung wildly over square leg, she had Bouchier on her second delivery, but Marizanne Kapp misread the catch, and the ball went for six. Sekhukhune struck Knight leg before wicket with the third ball after lunch, earning a reward with a delivery that dipped back in and hit her on the inside part of the pad. Boucher and Sciver-Brunt controlled the afternoon session, and that was the final danger from South Africa. They faced every bowler in South Africa, ran well in between wickets, and were especially harsh on the leg side’s large gaps.
Fifteen minutes prior to teatime, the umpire sent off Bouchier when she struck a Nonkululekho Mlaba ball that twisted slightly. In order to reward South Africa, Luus, who was at slip, moved fast and took the catch over her head to the right.
In this encounter, Bouchier was one of two debutants for England. Despite having Test caps, none of South Africa’s starting eleven have participated in a Test match at home. It’s the first South African match in 22 years.
Read More: Bumrah bags five but Head, Smith tons flatten India
