Lizelle Lee and Chloe Tryon set up big win for South Africa

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Lizelle Lee and Chloe Tryon hit power-packed half-centuries before another dominant performance by the bowlers helped South Africa beat Bangladesh by 154 runs in the fourth one-day international at De Beers Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Friday 11 May.

Bangladesh did a good job with the ball to start with, picking up wickets at regular intervals. Lee and Laura Wolvaardt (32) put together 72 for the first wicket, but from 120/1, they slipped to 159/5. But Lee’s 102-ball 70 and Tryon’s 60 in 42 balls from No.6 got their side to a formidable 230/7.

The target proved a too big for Bangladesh as the South African bowlers, like they have all through the series, went about their task with discipline to bundle the visitors out for 76, their third sub-100 score on the trot. The win gave South Africa a 4-0 lead in the five-match series.

Bangladesh's chase started off on the wrong note with Sanjida Islam falling to Ayabonga Khaka in just the second over of the innings. Sharmin Sultana and Fargana Hoque, who top scored with 22, were snapped up by Raisibe Ntozakhe, while Sane Luus, playing her first game of the series, got the better of Rumana Ahmed and Nigar Sultana.

None of the batters really hit their straps with just Hoque and Shamima Sultana (17) making some sort of an impact. Shabnim Ismail, Ntozakhe and Luus all picked up two wickets each.

Earlier, Lee continued her excellent form with the bat to get South Africa off to a quick start along with Wolvaardt. The duo batted together for a shade over 20 overs before Wolvaardt fell to the spin of Nahida Akter for 32.

Lee cracked another half-century – the 15th of her ODI career and second of the series – as she put up a 48-run stand for the second wicket with Trisha Chetty (31).

Just when South Africa looked on course to put up a formidable score, Bangladesh struck back. Lee fell to the medium pace of Panna Ghosh, with the scoreboard reading 120/2 in 31.1 overs. Chetty soon followed, giving Salma Khatun a catch off Jahanara Alam. Mignon du Preez and Andrie Steyn's stays at the crease was brief as well and South Africa suddenly found themselves at a precarious 159/5 in 41.4 overs.

Tryon, then like she had in the first ODI, took it upon herself to take her to side to safer shores. Yet again coming in at a difficult time, the hard-hitting all-rounder hit 60 in just 42 deliveries, including six fours and two sixes. She fell off the last ball of the 48th over but not before ensuring South Africa were in a strong position.

For Bangladesh, Alam and Akter were the most successful bowlers, returning two wickets each.