Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 12 (ANI): Lizelle Lee smashed a sensational century to help South African women beat India by six runs (DLS method) in the third ODI here at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday.
South Africa needed 26 runs off 21 balls before rain played spoilsport and the match was stopped. But the visitors were six runs ahead of the par score (217) and as result, South Africa sealed the game to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match ODI series.
While Jhulan Goswami picked two wickets for India, another legend and skipper Mithali Raj became the second woman to reach 10,000 runs in international cricket.
India had posted 248/5 on the back of a cautious 77-run knock from Punam Raut and at 223/4, South Africa was ahead of the DLS target, courtesy of a blistering 132 off 131 balls from Lee before the match was called off due to rain.
Chasing 249, South Africa got off to a decent start with the openers scoring 40 runs in the first nine overs. But Deepti Sharma dismissed stand-in skipper Laura Wolvaardt in the next over to give India the first breakthrough in the third ODI.
While Lizelle Lee played some cracking shots it was a sluggish innings from the skipper that came to an end in the tenth over. Lara Goodall and Lee then scripted almost a similar partnership for the second wicket.
Pacer Jhulan Goswami sent back Goodall to reduce South Africa to 81/2 but Lee continued her good form and brought up her 20th half-century.
Lee then rebuilt South Africa’s innings with Mignon du Preez as the duo stitched a 97-run stand for the third wicket. Lee led the visitors’ chase and smashed a century before India fought back with two wickets in two overs.
Goswami and Rajeshwari Gayakwad pick up a wicket each in 37th and 38th over to reduce South Africa at 178/4. While Mignon du Preez scored a well-made 37, Marizanne Kapp departed for a duck to leave South Africa in trouble. But Lee and Anne Bosch ensured the visitors were well ahead in the game before rain interrupted play.
Earlier put in to bat, India suffered the worst possible start as they lost opener Jemimah Rodrigues for a duck off the second ball of the innings. Shabnim Ismail scalped the wicket of Rodrigues.
Raut then joined Smriti Mandhan in the middle and the duo added 64 runs for the second wicket. Pacer Tumi Sekhukhune ended Mandhana’s 25-run stint in the 12th over.
After Mandhana’s dismissal, skipper Mithali Raj came to bat at number four. Both Mithali and Raut played freely and added runs easily and stitched a partnership of 77. The stand enabled the hosts to cross the three-figure mark.
The solid-looking partnership was broken by Anne Bosch as she sent Mithali back to the pavilion in 28th over. Raut then along with Harmanpreet built a brief 20-run stand before she was picked by Marizanne Kapp in the 34th over. Raut scored 77 runs decorated with 11 fours.
Deepti Sharma joined Harmanpreet in the middle and tried to continue the scoring for India. The duo guided the side past the 200-run mark. They added 60 for the fifth wicket as Harmanpreet departed after scoring 36 runs. Deepti found the support of Sushma Verma and steered the side to 248/5 in the allotted 50 overs
Brief Scores: India women 248/5 in 50 overs (Punam Raut 77; Shabnim Ismail 2-46) vs South Africa women 223/4 in 46.3 overs (Lizelle Lee 132*; Jhulan Goswami 2-20) (ANI)