Day 14 Talking Points: 'Crisis woman' Kapp bails South Africa out, Devine delivers with bat
Seddon Park, Hamilton - Match 16
M16 Match Highlights: New Zealand v South Africa
Sophie Devine led from the front during the New Zealand innings as she looked comfortable piling on the runs while others had to work hard just to keep the score ticking over.
The White Ferns’ skipper hit 93 runs off 101 balls against South Africa and has now scored 256 at an average of 51.20 to be in ominous form heading toward the pointy-end of the tournament.
Devine is part of an experienced opening pair with Suzie Bates but they are yet to launch the New Zealand innings with a big partnership and have averaged only 17.4 runs for the first wicket across five matches.
Much of this comes down to Bates' struggles with the bat - she has only passed 16 once in CWC22 - but the veteran will need to give Devine more support in the early overs if New Zealand are to claim a second World Cup on home soil.
Sophie Devine hit 12 fours and a huge six in a powerful knock
South Africa entered this clash with one of the most damaging bowling line-ups at CWC22 as Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas and Shabnim Ismail had all been regular wicket-takers.
But they were yet to be supported by a South African spinner taking a wicket at the tournament partly because captain Sune Luus had only bowled her leg-spinners in 12 overs across three matches.
Luus was forced to bowl more against New Zealand after Klaas was restricted to only two overs due to injury, and the 26-year-old finally stepped up to take the vital wicket of Amelia Kerr just as the game was getting away from New Zealand.
Kapp, Khaka and Ismail later ripped through New Zealand’s middle order and tail as they lost their last six wickets for only 30 runs, but a turner threatening the opposition batters will make South Africa a much more formidable attack.
WICKET: Amelia Kerr caught in front after slow sweep
Marizanne Kapp rescues South Africa, again
Marizanne Kapp is making a habit out of bailing South Africa out of trouble with the bat. She did not bat through in their victory against England but against New Zealand, she made sure she was there until the end to see the team through.
Kapp walked in to bat at 166/4 and saw wickets tumble at the other end. The all-rounder kept South Africa in the game by finding boundaries with regularity, choosing her moments with precision to put the pressure back on New Zealand.
When the hard-hitting Chloe Tryon walked back to the pavilion in the 45th over, Kapp smashed back-to-back boundaries in the very next over to keep South Africa in the chase.
Her four in the penultimate ball of the penultimate over brought the equation down to run-a-ball and she smacked a boundary on the first ball of the final over to all but win the game for South Africa.
For a team that has a reputation of losing close games, South Africa will be pleased with how they have come out victorious in their last two matches.
