Kapp sets the tone before bowlers combine in SA’s NRR-boosting win over Scotland

South Africa 166 for 5 (Kapp 43, Brits 43, Carter 1-17) beat Scotland 86 (Fraser 14, Mlaba 3-12, de Klerk 2-15) by 80 runs

South Africa’s openers put on 64, a middle order led by Marizanne Kapp crashed 70 off the last eight overs, and South Africa motored to 166 for 5, the highest total of the tournament.

Scotland’s reply was in tatters in the first seven overs. They lost both openers for single figures, captain Kathryn Bryce was out inside the powerplay, before Alisa Lister and Priyanaz Chaterji departed soon after. They were soon 45 for 6 at the start of the ninth over, and continued to collapse, sliding eventually to 86 all out in the 18th.

South Africa’s left-arm spinners were the prime destroyers. Chloe Tryon was the first to strike, dismissing the Bryce sisters – Katherine and Sarah – caught-and-bowled in successive overs. Nonkululeko Mlaba was a menace through the middle overs, as she has been all tournament, and collected the game’s best figures of 3 for 12 from her four overs, with Nadine de Klerk also getting two wickets in addition to Tryon. Thus, the 80-run victory pushed South Africa to the top of Group B, their net run rate rising to 1.317.

Wolvaardt, Brits start strong

For the second time in three matches, South Africa’s openers were outstanding in the early going (they’d also put on an unbeaten 119 together against West Indies). Laura Wolvaardt had given an early chance, slapping a full toss straight to Katherine Fraser at mid-off, only to be dropped on 2.

She took full toll of the mistake, hitting three fours and a six off the next 13 balls she faced. With Tazmin Brits also joining the boundary-frenzy in the sixth over, South Africa sped to 60 for no loss by the end of the powerplay.

Kapp marshals the middle order

Kapp arrived at the start of the 12th over, and quickly began to dominate. Her first two boundaries came from drives through cover, and then long-off against legspinner Abtaha Maqsood. Then she settled into a rhythm of singles to the leg side, with the occasional lapped sweep with the short fine leg inside the circle. Kapp holed out against the bowling of Kathryn Bryce in the 18th over, but she had cracked 43 off 24 balls – the best knock of the game.

Scotland’s top order fails

While a target of 167 was always going to be incredibly challenging, Scotland will be displeased with how meekly their top order fell. The Bryce sisters both provided leading edges to the bowler, and Saskia Horley gave a simple catch to extra cover. That exposed the middle order to South Africa’s in-form bowler Mlaba, whose first wicket came from a beautifully-flighted delivery to Alisa Lister, who was beaten in the air and walked past the ball.

Scotland were 34 for 3 by the end of the powerplay, and had soon sunk to 39 for 5 and 56 for 7, with a big defeat all but assured.

South Africa’s players top the charts

Only South Africa and Scotland have played three matches so far, but key players seem to be finding form for South Africa, as they head towards the bigger matches to come. Lead among these is Mlaba, who even bowled Darcey Carter around the legs for her second wicket, and bowled 19 dot balls from her 24 deliveries. She has a tournament-high eight wickets, with an economy rate of 5.25.

Wolvaardt, meanwhile, is the tournament’s highest run-scorer, with 141 runs at an average of 70.50, and a strike rate of 116.52.