A gorgeous century by young Karabo Meso that led to a commanding 116-run win in their HollywoodBets Pro50 Series match was the highlight of our DP World Lions women’s team’s weekend in Bloemfontein.
The 17-year-old Meso plundered a forceful, classy 128 off just 129 balls, as #ThePrideOfJozi made 296 for seven, having been sent in to bat by the Free State Knights. The DP World Lions then bowled out the home side for 180 inside 42 overs to start their season on a very good note.
Our DP World Lions were in trouble on 113 for five after 20 overs, when Meso was joined by SA U19 all-rounder Jenna Evans. The pair of Steyn City pupils – present and past – went on to add a matchwinning 171 for the sixth wicket in 29 overs.
Wicketkeeper/batter Meso collected 15 fours and a six in her fabulous innings, favouring the front foot as she unfurled several lovely drives, while also manipulating the ball for ones and twos in a superbly fluent effort.
Evans began patiently, getting herself properly settled, before accelerating to a robust 65 not out off 77 deliveries, with six fours.
Palesa Mapoo (23) and Diara Ramlakan (36) had looked good at the top of the order as they added 42 for the second wicket, but the DP World Lions tended to lose wickets in pairs, until the magnificent partnership between Meso and Evans.
Evans then had fun with the ball as she ran through the Knights lower-order to seal victory for the Pride, taking four for 18 in 5.1 overs with her canny spin bowling. Evans’ effort meant the Free Staters lost their last five wickets for just 18 runs, ensuring a bonus point win for our DP World Lions. Sunette Viljoen-Louw helped wrap things up with two for nine in three overs.
Sarah Nettleton also collected two wickets, while Lehlohonolo Meso bowled tidily up front, taking one for 18 in six overs.
In the Pro20 game, the DP World Lions could only muster 115 for five after being sent in to bat, with opener Nonkhululeko Thabethe the only batter to spend a long time at the crease, batting through the innings for 52 not out.
Evans continued loving her time in Bloemfontein with a quickfire 23 not out off 19 balls to give our Pride some hope of defending their total.
Despite the marvellous bowling of Fay Cowling, who took two for eight in three overs, Free State captain Izell Cilliers steered her team home with two balls to spare with an unbeaten half-century.
Lions captain Kgomotso Rapoo also fought hard with the ball, taking one for 19 in three overs.
South Africa conceded a monstrous 386-run first-innings lead as Australia piled up a massive 575 for eight declared, wicketkeeper/batsman Alex Carey stroking an exciting century, on the third day of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Anrich Nortje produced a thrilling double-strike in his second over of the day as he bowled Travis Head for a dashing 51, shaping the ball back into the left-hander. That brought second-day hero David Warner back to the crease, the left-hander celebrating his 100th Test having retired hurt with severe cramps upon reaching his epic 200 not out.
But Nortje, whose tremendous fast bowling the previous day had thrilled the MCG crowd almost as much as Warner’s innings, bowled the veteran opener first ball back with an excellent yorker.
Pat Cummins survived the hat-trick ball but was then caught behind off Kagiso Rabada for 4. With Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc both nursing hand injuries, South Africa may have expected to wrap the innings up quickly as Nathan Lyon came to the crease with Australia on 400 for six, leading by 211.
But Lyon batted brightly to score 25 off 17 balls as he and Carey put on a quickfire 40, and the wicketkeeper/batsman carried on in exhilarating fashion to his maiden Test century, one that ensured Australia enjoyed an insurmountable lead.
With Green surprisingly returning to the crease with a fractured finger and defending stoutly, Carey feasted on the tired bowling on a flat pitch, scoring a superb 111 off 149 balls before offering a return catch to Marco Jansen as he tried to withdraw his bat from a steepling, tennis-ball bounce lifter from the left-arm quick.
Green became more fluent the longer he was at the crease, but his 51 not out was still a grind, albeit a brave one, coming off 177 deliveries in 224 minutes.
Having bowled themselves into the ground, South Africa’s bowlers eventually received some respite when Australia declared shortly before tea, having batted for 145 overs. Starc also came out to bat and scored 10 not out, a blow to the helmet from Jansen bringing the declaration.
Nortje earned immense respect for his effort as he finished with three for 92 in 25 overs.
The Proteas should have a bit more than 30 overs to weather in the final session on the third day, and although the pitch looked fantastic for batting, there will not be a lot of rand bet on them avoiding an innings defeat.
David Warner was able to motor to a commanding century as Australia reached 231 for two at tea against a South African attack that kept chugging in without much luck on the second day of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Warner celebrated the considerable milestone of making a century in his 100th Test, becoming just the 11th player to achieve this landmark, but arguably more important to him was that it was his first hundred in nearly three years.
Together with Steven Smith, he ensured that Australia were already 42 runs ahead on first innings, with eight wickets in hand. Warner had reached 135 not out off 207 balls at tea, while Smith stuck to his task well against plenty of testing bowling as he reached the break on 60 not out off 129 deliveries.
Although the only wicket South Africa had claimed on Tuesday came through a run out, the Proteas bowlers generally stuck to their task well. Anrich Nortje was especially impressive, running in tirelessly and delivering 150km/h thunderbolts, and he troubled the left-handed Warner in particular, several inside-edges narrowly avoiding the stumps.
Left-armer Marco Jansen was also probing and he had Smith dropped on nine, gloving a hook down the leg-side, wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne spilling a tough, diving chance.
Australia had resumed on 45 for one in pursuit of South Africa’s poor first innings of just 189, and made a bright start as Warner and Marnus Labuschagne took their stand to 54.
Warner had been particularly busy and intense, always looking for the extra run. His enthusiasm proved to be Labuschagne’s downfall, however, as he called his partner through for a second run on an overthrow, but the South African had run through the crease scampering what was a quick single in the first place, and, after trying to send Warner back, Labuschagne was run out at the bowler’s end for 14.
Keshav Maharaj had thrown the ball to Nortje, who had done well to transfer the throw on to the stumps from a couple of metres away.
But Warner and Smith have since added 156. This Australian batting line-up spares nobody when they get the bit between their teeth, and on a lovely batting pitch on a sweltering day in Melbourne, South Africa’s bowlers are once again in for plenty of toil after another dismal failure by their batsmen.
Aiden Markram celebrated his return to Test cricket with an impressively-controlled century.
The Proteas may have lost wickets and closed up shop in the second half of the day, but the enduring image of the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies at Centurion will be Aiden Markram stroking the ball around SuperSport Park on his way to a comeback century.
It was just like the old days as Markram compiled a fabulous 115 off 174 balls in four-and-a-half hours at the crease, the opener’s first Test century since February 2021 leading South Africa to 314 for eight at stumps after they won what seems a good toss.
He and fellow opener Dean Elgar, stripped of the captaincy, needed some good fortune in the morning, but they both showed the determination and skill to fight through the new ball and they put on an impressive 141 for the first wicket.
It was out of character for Elgar to give his wicket away on 71 by ramping Alzarri Joseph to third man, where Jermaine Blackwood did well to hang on to the speeding ball above his head while tumbling backwards, but the left-hander had done the sort of defiant job at the start of the innings that he also did in the good old days. He was also more expansive than he often is, striking 11 fours and needing just 118 balls for his 71 runs.
Another left-hander, the debutant Tony de Zorzi, then joined Markram, and when South Africa went to tea on 206 for one, they seemed set to plunder runs in the final session against an attack that was looking increasingly flat.
But De Zorzi, looking for an unlikely third run, was run out for 28 and, from 221 for one, the Proteas lost their next seven wickets for just 79 runs.
Markram later said, however, that with the ball moving around all day, the home side will certainly take their position at the end of the day.
“We started really well after lunch, but as the pitch got quicker, it became clear that any ball could have your name on it,” Markram said. “The ball was still going sideways a couple of overs before the second new ball was due, so there was still quite a lot in the wicket even at the end of the day.”
Markram drove the ball magnificently through the covers, where most of his 18 fours came from, but also seemed to dial back his strokeplay a little, not going quite as hard as he can, his sixth Test century being an impressively controlled effort.
“I’ve been having nice chats to the coaches and the senior players, and with the slower bounce here on the first day, it can be difficult to drive,” Markram said. “In the past, I might have just gone hard anyway, but I understand now that, at some stages, you have to either earn the right to drive or the ball has to be extremely full.
“It’s not about being any less aggressive, but instead just trying to keep it as simple as possible. The attitude from the coaches is that each guy has his own strengths and if the ball is in your area then no worries, even if it doesn’t work out. But you have to marry that with the conditions and the bowling attack you’re up against,” the 28-year-old Markram said.
The West Indies picked up the big wicket of Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, trapped in front by Joseph for a two-ball duck in the same over as De Zorzi’s run out, and Joseph then speared a superb yorker into Markram’s stumps four overs later as the home side slipped to 236 for four.
Heinrich Klaasen was in counter-attack mode as he went to 20 off 22 balls, but he then miscued an attempted pull off Shannon Gabriel into the hands of Joseph, running from mid-on.
Senuran Muthusamy, surprisingly in the XI instead of Keshav Maharaj or another batsman, shouldered arms and was trapped in front by Kemar Roach for three, and Keegan Petersen dug in for an hour-and-a-half, but could only amass 14 runs in 50 balls before he walked across his stumps and was lbw to Kyle Mayers’ inswingers.
Marco Jansen (17*) and Gerald Coetzee, another debutant, who struck his first two balls for fours to reach 11 not out at stumps, will resume on the second morning.
Overnight, Markram will be able to savour a Test career resumed in the most impressive fashion. He said the confidence placed in him by new Test coach Shukri Conrad, who insisted he be recalled and open the batting, had helped inspire him on Tuesday.
“It might have been a good thing to be dropped, it meant I started today with a clean slate,” Markram said. “I was heartsore about not being in Australia, but the reasons I was given by the selectors were quite clear and I was happy with the explanation.
“As a batsman, you need runs on the board, and if you don’t have them then your position should be under scrutiny. It probably worked out nicely in the end. It’s been a strange journey, but I’m grateful it worked out today.
“There was a lot of relief when I reached my hundred, but it’s great when a coach backs you, what it does for a player is massive and I’ve always had a really good relationship and understanding with Shukri.
“His backing gave me extra confidence and you also want to do him justice. One of Shukri’s big strengths is that he’s always very clear where you stand and I’m grateful for his backing and another chance,” Markram said, having taken the opportunity with both hands.
Proverbs 3:27 – “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”
Christian compassion is a reflection of the love of Jesus Christ. He responded wherever he saw a need. He did not put people off or tell them to come back later. He did not take long to consider their requests or first discuss them with his disciples.
Why hesitate when there is a need? Your fear of becoming too involved in other people’s affairs could just be selfishness. You shouldn’t be afraid of involvement; have faith that God will provide!
Matthew 20:28 – “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
