Sri Lanka Women tour of South Africa 2024 - Series Digest

April 18 - 3rd ODI

Athapaththu-inspired SL level series through historic run chase

Chamari Athapaththu's 195*, the third-highest individual score in Women's ODIs, helped Sri Lanka achieve the highest successful run-chase in Women's ODIs with a facile six-wicket win and level the three-match ODI series.

Athapaththu's epic innings offset Laura Wolvaardt's marathon effort earlier in the day, the latter scoring 184*, her second consecutive ODI hundred in the series which came off only 100 balls. It helped the hosts to 301/5, the fifth highest total in Women's ODIs, but such was the force of Athapaththu's knock that SL chased it down with 5.3 overs to spare.

After carving a good opening stand with Vishmi Gunaratne, Athapaththu saw a few wickets fell at the other end but the innings nicely settled into a rhythm when Nilakshi de Silva (50*) walked to the crease. The pair added 179 runs for the fifth wicket and delivered SL to a historic win.

Brief Scores: South Africa 301/5 (Wolvaardt 184*, Kavisha Dilhari 2-47) lost to Sri Lanka 305/4 in 44.3 overs (Athapaththu 195*, de Silva 50*, Ayabonga Khaka 2-54) by 6 wickets

April 13 - 2nd ODI

In-form Wolvaardt puts SA 1-0 up

Laura Wolvaardt continued to pile on the runs as she smashed an unbeaten hundred to give South Africa a 1-0 lead in the ODI series. With the first ODI not producing a result due to rain, South Africa put on a determined show to get the job done in Kimberley.

Sri Lanka found themselves in a decent position with the bat at one stage after Chamari Athapaththu hit a fluent fifty. There were handy contributions from the likes of Kavisha Dilhari and Nilakshi de Silva as well as the visitors set themselves up for a good finish having gotten to 153/3 with 15 overs still remaining. However, South Africa staged a strong comeback at the back end by picking wickets at regular intervals. As a result, Sri Lanka ended up with just 229 on the board.

The hosts did find themselves under pressure in the run chase at the start after they lost two early wickets. A half-century partnership between Sune Luus and Wolvaardt then steadied the innings for South Africa. Post that, it was just one-way traffic as South Africa made merry after losing Luus. Marizanne Kapp hit an unbeaten 80 and Wolvaardt remained unbeaten on 110 as South Africa got the job done with 14 balls to spare.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 229 in 49.5 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 51, Kavisha Dilhari 42; Nadine de Klerk 3/23, Ayabonga Khaka 3/28) lost to South Africa 233/3 in 47.4 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 110*, Marizanne Kapp 80*) by 7 wickets.

April 9 - 1st ODI

Rain denies South Africa after Brits ton

Despite setting Sri Lanka a stiff target, South Africa were denied an opportunity to push for a win in the opening ODI after rain arrived during the chase. South Africa posted a strong 270 on the board on the back of a fantastic hundred from opener Tazmin Brits. She was involved in a 94-run opening stand with Laura Wolvaardt before adding 70 for the second wicket with Anneke Bosch. With 100 balls left in the innings, South Africa were 164/1, raising hopes of a total beyond 300.

However, Sri Lanka did land a few blows beyond the 40th over to regularly dent the hosts. Brits, who had made 116, was also dismissed with almost five overs left in the innings as the home side settled for 270/6. That was still a significant total on the board given Sri Lanka had never chased down anything beyond 260 in their history. After the openers made a watchful start, scoring 23 off 6.5 overs, before rain arrived. The second ODI is scheduled to be held on Saturday.

Brief scores: South Africa 270/6 (Tazmin Brits 116, Laura Wolvaardt 41; Oshadi Ranasinghe 2/42) vs Sri Lanka 23/0 - Match called off due to rain

April 5

Kapp reprimanded for using inappropriate language and gesture

Marizanne Kapp, the South African all-rounder, has been reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third Women's T20I against Sri Lanka in East London on Wednesday. It carried a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Kapp had used inappropriate language and gestured in the direction of the pavilion. After dismissing Sri Lankan skipper in the 13th over of the match. She was fined for "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match."

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Kapp's disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in the ongoing 24-month period.

South Africa include 16-year-old uncapped wicketkeeper for ODI series

South Africa has included 16-year-old uncapped wicketkeeper Karabo Meso fom the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, the board announced on Friday. The Lions player featured in two T20Is of the recently-concluded series. All-rounder Delmi Tucker has also been added to the squad, while Annerie Dercksen has been left out. Meanwhile, experienced all-rounder Chloe Tryon misses out as she is undergoing rehabilitation for back pain.

Having lost their maiden T20I series to Sri Lanka recently, South Africa's 50-over campaign will begin on April 9 at Buffalo Park in East London. The next two ODIs will be played at Diamond Oval, Kimberley and B Marks Oval, Potchefstroom on April 13 and 17 respectively.

Squad: Laura Wolvaardt (Captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Delmi Tucker

April 3 - 3rd T20I

Sri Lanka seal first-ever T20I series win over South Africa

Fifties from Chamari Athapaththu (73 off 46) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (54* off 43) led Sri Lanka to their first-ever T20I series win over South Africa on Wednesday (April 3). The duo shared a crucial 97-run stand to put Sri Lanka on track on course on their run chase with Athapaththu playing the aggressor's role to perfection. The skipper returned to form with a typically intimidating knock that went through the gears perfectly. Those long levers and power game came to the fore as South Africa's bowlers were taken to the cleaners. At the other end, Samarawickrama was more about deft touch although the intent was no lesser.

Athapaththu's dismissal did trigger a mini-collapse of sorts but the required rate wasn't an issue, allowing Samarawickrama to steer the visitors home. Apart from Marizanne Kapp (1-24) and Nadine de Klerk (2-25), the other South African bowlers got punished on a Buffalo Park surface that got better to bat as the game progressed. South Africa, despite a strong finish in the slog overs, posted a total that wasn't very challenging. Laura Wolvaardt's fifty gave them the early impetus but Sri Lanka kept a lid on the scoring rate with timely strikes. It was de Klerk's 25-ball 44 that gave a much-needed boost to the scoring rate but in the end, Athapaththu and Samarawickrama stole the thunder.

Brief scores: South Africa 155/6 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 56, Nadine de Klerk 44*; Sugandika Kumari 3-24) lost to Sri Lanka 156/6 in 19.1 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 73, Harshitha Samarawickrama 54*; Nadine de Klerk 2-25) by four wickets

March 30 - 2nd T20I

18-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne sets up Sri Lanka's series parity

An unbeaten stand worth 76 runs off just 46 balls between Vishmi Gunaratne and Kavisha Dilhari set up Sri Lanka's series-levelling victory against South Africa. Anneka Bosch and Marizanne Kapp's efforts with the bat pushed South Africa to 137 for 8, which Sri Lanka chased down with seven wickets and as many balls to spare.

Sri Lanka's chase was orchestrated by the 18-year-old opener - Gunaratne - who scored her first 50-plus score in T20Is. While she got going, Sri Lanka were rattled with the wickets of captain Chamari Athapaththu, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera in quick succession that saw them fall to 62 for 3 before Dilhari joined forces with Gunaratne and saw her side through.

Brief Scores: South Africa 137/8 in 20 overs (Anneka Bosch 50, Marizanne Kapp 44; Achini Kulasuriya 2-26) lost to Sri Lanka 138/3 in 18.5 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 65*, Kavisha Dilhari 45*) by 7 wickets

March 27 - 1st T20I

Wolvaardt ton crushes Sri Lanka

Laura Wolvaardt (102 off 63 bals) smashed her first century in T20Is as South Africa crushed Sri Lanka by 79 runs in the opening game of the three-match series at Willowmoore Park, Benoni on Wednesday (March 27). Put into bat on a good batting surface, South Africa's innings hit top gear from the outset. Tazbin Brits' stay at the crease was brief but Marizanne Kapp (60 off 40 balls) along with Wolvaardt stitched a rollicking 116-run stand that came off just 79 deliveries. The South African captain continued her recently-acquired avatar of the aggressor as she took apart the Lankan bowling that lacked penetration.

Wolvaardt struck 12 fours and three sixes in her emphatic knock, overshadowing Kapp's power game as the duo put the visitors to the sword. In the process, South Africa also registered their second highest team total in the format. Chasing a mammoth target of 199, Sri Lanka understandably needed their biggest matchwinner in skipper Chamari Athapaththu to come good but the opener fell to Kapp in the first over of the chase to virtually kill any minor chance that the Lankans might have had.

Harshitha Samarawickrama (38 off 33) and Hasini Perera (30 off 18) produced some crisp strokes but the target was well beyond their reach. With a big total to defend, South Africa's bowlers kept the pressure up on Sri Lanka's batters who caved in rather meekly to make it a one-sided contest.

Brief scores: South Africa198/5 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 102, Marizanne Kapp 60; Achini Kulasuriya 2-39) beat Sri Lanka 119 in 18.2 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 38, Hasini Perera 30; Annerie Dercksen 2-15, Tumi Sekhukhune 2-25) by 79 runs