South Africa’s woes continued at Chelmsford as they sank to a fourth consecutive defeat against England, sealing their fate in the multi-format series 10-2 on points, with two T20s left to play. The dominant show by England was built on career-best figures of four for 15 from Katherine Brunt, as South Africa limped to 111 for nine in their 20 overs.
“Digging deep, trying to find another gear to go to is difficult,” Brunt said. “When you get older, you have a lot of doubt that creeps in – people say things about you, are you good enough to keep going, and if you listen to it enough you start to believe it. I’ve had to change my mentality. I feel I’ve still got it, and as long as I have, I’ll keep trying to perform for England.”
England then reached their target with six wickets and five overs to spare, helped along by a rambunctious innings from Sophia Dunkley (59 from 39 balls). A week on from hitting her maiden international hundred at Bristol, Dunkley showcased her power hitting in this shorter format, smashing three sixes and five fours in an innings which embraced her promotion to the top of the order.
Though she was caught in the deep in the 11th over going for yet another maximum, England were only 25 runs away from victory and Heather Knight (24 not out from 18) and Amy Jones (11 not out off 13) wrapped things up with oodles of time to spare. “It’s been nice after quite a tough winter to have some easy wins and be quite low-maintenance,” Knight said. “We’ve ticked a lot of boxes that we wanted to do better.”
In another blow for South Africa, it was announced on Thursday that the all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has left the tour for family reasons. It is unclear whether she will rejoin the squad before the Commonwealth Games begins on 29 July.
The Brunt Show had begun with successive wickets in her two opening overs, with Lara Goodall and Sune Luus bowled slashing across the line, by balls that nipped back off the seam to hit off stump. Goodall had been given out caught behind off the third ball of the innings but had the decision overturned on review, though she lasted just one further ball. The Luus wicket was Brunt’s 100th in T20 internationals; she is only the second Englishwoman, after Anya Shrubsole, to reach the milestone.
By the time Brunt steamed back in again in the 18th, South Africa were already five down; but the veteran ensured there was no final flourish, having Delmi Tucker caught at point, before her wife Nat Sciver took a good low catch at midwicket to see off Laura Wolvaardt with five balls remaining of the innings.
Without Wolvaardt, who had brought up a 45-ball half-century in the 18th, it could have been a humiliation for the visitors: Anneke Bosch (18 off 21) was the only other batter to get into double figures. It was Sarah Glenn, back in the side for the first time this summer, who accounted for Bosch, rattling her stumps in the ninth, while Issy Wong, on her T20 debut, was unlucky to finish wicketless, firing it in on a good length after Knight entrusted her with the new ball.
In reply, England lost two big wickets to Ayabonga Khaka in the powerplay, as both Danni Wyatt and Bryony Smith, promoted to No 3, were bowled swinging wildly at straight ones. But with Dunkley smashing it to all corners at the other end, there was no real risk, as England sailed merrily along to their target.
