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POST TIME: 19 January, 2017 00:00 00 AM
SA women’s team clinch series
Sports Reporter

SA women’s team clinch series

South Africa’s Mignon du Preez receives the player of the match trophy from Chittagong Mayor AZM Nasir Uddin ( C) after the fourth ODI with Bangladesh at Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox’s Bazar yesterday. BCB PHOTO

South Africa women’s cricket team ensured the series with one match to spare when they thrashed the hosts Bangladesh by 94 runs in the fourth match of the five-match ODI series at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium (SKICS) in Cox’s Bazar yesterday.
Bangladesh fought back in the third match following their back-to-back losses but they could not capilatise the momentum in the fourth match to level the advantage.
The visiting side restricted Bangladesh to 157 for all-out after setting 252-run target in their series winning fourth match.
Chasing the target of 252 to win, Bangladesh lost their opener Sharmin Sultana cheaply. Moseline Daniels’ double strike in her successive deliveries gave the home side a big blow when she got rid of Sharmin Akhter and skipper Rumana Ahmed.
Farzana Haque tried to steady the ship with the help of her fellow batters. But no one came up with ably support sans Salma Khatun, whose 71-run partnership with Haque for the fifth wicket that made a glimmer of hopes amongst the local crowds.
Salma trudged back to the pavilion being bowled for 30 when Bangladesh were struggling at 112-5. The rest of the hopes that created by this successful partnership evaporated with the fall of Salma.
Then no one afforded to avert the inevitable as the local side could add 45 runs at the exchange of five wickets. Finally Bangladesh managed to score 157 before being all-out.
Farzana Haque top-scored for Bangladesh with 67 off 144 that laced with four boundaries before being bowled by Marcia Letsoalo.
Pacer Ayabonga Khaka took three, while Moseline Daniels and Marcia Letsoalo claimed two wickets each for the tourists.
Earlier, South African eves team opted to bat first after winning the toss and compiled a healthy total of 251-7 in 50 overs largely thanks to Mignon du Preez’s 79. Although they lost openers-Lizelle Lee and Andrie Steyn inside seven overs, top-scorer Du Preez piloted the innings.
Player-of-the-match Mignon stitched together with a string of successful partnerships including 74-run with Chloe Tryon for the third wicket stand, which crossed the 100-run mark.
Then she put on 38-run fourth wicket with Marizanne Kapp, 29-run fifth wicket with Sune Luus and 32-run seventh wicket with skipper D van Niekerk before being trapped lbw by Khadija Tul Kubra, who grabbed the most three wickets for the home side. Mignon smashed 79 off 108 with half-a-dozen fours.
Rumana Ahmed snapped up a brace for 30 and Jahanara Alam picked up one wicket.