India’s Triumph Over South Africa Sealed by Rana’s 10-Wicket Masterclass
India Women dominated South Africa Women with a thumping 10 wickets victory led by Sneh Rana’s 10 wickets haul in the only test at Chennai.
Sneh Rana’s remarkable 10-wicket haul and Shafali Verma’s double century exemplified India’s commanding performance. The match, which lasted until the last session of the previous day, demonstrated the skill and resiliency of both sides.
South Africa 266 (Kapp 74, Luus 65, Rana 8-77) and 373 (Wolvaardt 122, Luus 109, de Klerk 61, Gayakwad 2-55, Deepti 2-95, Rana 2-111 ) lost to India 603 for 6 dec (Shafali 205, Mandhana 149, Ghosh 86, Harmanpreet 69, Rodrigues 55) and 37 for 0 (Shafali 24*) by 10 wickets.
In the last session of the last day at Chepauk, India defeated South Africa by 10 wickets in the one-off Test match, ending the visitors’ winning run in the series. Smriti Mandhana’s 149, Shafali Verma’s double century, and Sneh Rana’s incredible 10-wicket haul. For India, there were several high spots. Another thing that will stick in the memory of the game is how hard South Africa fought under difficult circumstances for nearly 240 overs.
After only a little red-ball practise, South Africa’s remarkable commitment was evident when they had India bat for a second innings after declaring at 603 for 6. After being bowled out for 266 in the opening session, South Africa rallied behind centuries from Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus, as well as a determined Nadine de Klerk, to force a final session.
Day four began with South Africa on 232 for 2, 105 runs behind, with Wolvaardt seven runs shy of her first century. After hitting her century in 259 balls and punishing everything short and wide of off stump, Marizanne Kapp was lost for South Africa 15 overs into the match after she played down the wrong line and Deepti Sharma trapped her leg before she could reach the boundary. In the next over, Delmi Tucker was the next to go when Jemimah Rodrigues took a hard shot at cover from Rana.
Shortly afterward, Wolvaardt was removed for 122 by left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad in her opening over of the day. She darted one on middle and leg after pitching the first four balls outside off stump, and it went in faster than Wolvaardt had thought, trapping her in front.
In the morning, thirty overs, seventy runs, and three wickets. India only needed five more to win, but they had to work hard to get them.
Also Read: Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana Lead India to Record Breaking 525 Runs Day in Chennai
South Africa scored 34 runs in 29 overs during a calm afternoon session. During that time, De Klerk was an unsung hero. Her slow-burn was joyful and a test of her long-term strategy skills. When it comes to white-ball cricket, she is typically rather violent. De Klerk played for 213 minutes, scoring her first Test fifty in 174 balls with seven fours. One of the greatest blockathons, with nearly no spoils for the Indian spinners.
After retiring at nine owing to cramping in his lower limbs, Sinalo Jafta returned to the bat for 36 overs in the second session. South Africa was 336 for 8 at tea, down one run, and it looked as though they would bat out the overs to salvage a draw provided de Klerk persisted in her tenacity.
However, a wicket appeared out of the blue. In her third over of the second innings, Shafali cleaned up Masabata Klaas with a single. Gayakwad disrupted de Klerk’s stumps with a flighted delivery to terminate her innings in the following over. Even though their lead was only 36 runs, South Africa had managed to gain ground. It took 9.2 overs for Shafali and Shubha Satheesh, who arrived before Smriti Mandhana, to bring it back.
In a few days, the attention will switch to the T20Is, but for now, Chepauk, where women’s Test cricket is being played for the first time since 1976, was the pinnacle of cricket.
