Scotland had the hosts in trouble on 43-6 batting first at one point in their second Group D match at the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup on Monday, but South Africa secured the win in the end.
The match took place at Willowmoore Park in Benoni and the Scots were looking to bounce back from an opening loss to UAE on Saturday. South Africa lost on the same day to India.
Halfway through their innings batting first, South Africa were 43-6 and Scotland were bowling and fielding really well. A very crucial 67 run partnership between Kayla Reyneke and Jenna Evans then allowed South Africa to eventually get themselves up to 112-7 from their 20 overs.
In reply, Scotland found the going tough and although Stewart’s Melvile’s Emma Walsingham made 17, the team were bowled out for 68 to lose by 44 runs.
Katherine Fraser, the Scotland captain who took three wickets with the ball, said afterwards: “We made such a good start with the ball, but we just couldn’t find that complete performance with the bat at all.
“We probably wanted to keep South Africa to a lower total than 112 given the good start that we had, but we also need to bat better as a unit going forward.
“The results have not gone our way as yet, but we are really enjoying this experience and being part of a World Cup and we are taking it all in and learning it all of the time.
“We could really hear the supporters in the ground cheering us on when we were out there during this game, so a big thanks to them.”
Scotland head coach Peter Ross named the same XI that took on UAE and his team won the toss and decided to bowl.
It instantly looked like the right decision when spinner Olivia Bell had Elandri Janse van Rensburg caught brilliantly in the deep by Orla Mongomery off the last ball of the first over.
In the fourth over fellow spinner Fraser then struck twice to remove Simone Lourens – caught by Maryam Faisal – and skipper Oluhle Siyo who she bowled.
That left South Africa on 19-3 and by the halfway mark they were 43-6.
That was because Nayma Sheikh bowled Madison Landsman in the fifth over and then, in the 10th over, Niamh Robertson-Jack took two scalps.
She had wicketkeeper Karabo Meso caught and bowled and then clean bowled Anica Swart.
Scotland were on top at that point, but enter Reyneke to the fold.
She went on to finish on 53 when she was caught by Faisal off the bowling of Fraser off the penultimate ball of the innings, but, importantly, she had helped haul her side up and past the 100 mark.
Evans finished on 22 not out off 29 balls as South Africa recovered to 112-7.
Stewart’s Meville’s Fraser led the way with 3-25 while Grange’s Robertson-Jack took 2-12, West of Scotland/East Kilbride’s Sheikh ended up with 1-14 and Stockport Georgians’ Bell took 1-25.
Scotland put 14 runs on the board in reply before Jemma Botha had vice-captain Ailsa Lister trapped LBW for 10 off the penultimate ball of the third over.
Seven balls later her opening partner Darcey Carter was also adjudged to be out LBW to Ayanda Hlubi for nine.
That was Scotland 21-2 before Walsingham took the score up to 37 with Sheikh at the other end, the former’s runs coming off just 18 balls before she was out LBW to Reyneke.
Bell and Faisal made four and six respectively before they headed back to the pavilion.
Faisal was caught behind by Meso off the bowling of Landsman in the 15th over and the bowler proceeded to take a hat-trick to really knock the stuffing out of Scotland, Niamh Muir and Montgomery the other victims.
That was Scotland on 60-8 and, after Robertson-Jack was out for a duck, it was fitting for South Africa that Landsman finished things off in the 17th over, having Maisie Maceira caught behind.
Sheikh ended up unbeaten on 12 not out while Landsman’s 4-16 was impressive for South Africa, but it was Reyneke who was named player of the match for her 53 off 49 balls and her 1-11.
Next up for Scotland in Group D is India at Willowmoore Park B Field at 11.45am UK time on Wednesday. The match can be watched on ICC TV.
Scotland playing XI versus South Africa:
Ailsa Lister (V-C)
Darcey Carter
Emma Walsingham
Nayma Sheikh
Katherine Fraser (C)
Olivia Bell
Maryam Faisal
Niamh Muir
Orla Montgomery
Niamh Robertson-Jack
Maisie Maceira
