Proteas Women wilt in Colombo heat as India set challenging target in Tri-Series opener

The Proteas Women’s team succumbed to the heat and humidity in Colombo on Tuesday morning with Laura Wolvaard’s team producing a listless performance in the field in their opening Tri-Series ODI clash against India at the R. Premdasa Stadium.

Chances were dropped, run outs were missed and general sloppiness allowed India to post 276/6 in their allotted 50 overs. 

After India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat, openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal got into their work with an effortless 83-run stand.

Mandhana was her graceful self once more with the elegant left-hander stroking four boundaries in her 36 off 54 balls before Annerie Dercksen (1/40) strangled her down the leg-side offering Proteas debutant Karabo Messo her first catch in one-day internationals. 

The teenage wicket-keeper would have been disappointed to not have completed a second dismissal when Dercksen threw the ball at her in an attempt to run out new batter Harleen Deol.

Despite Deol (29) being far out of her crease, Meso did not break the stumps hard enough with the bails only being dislodged when the batter had made her ground.

India’s new prolific opener Pratika Rawal was the standout batter though with the right-hander striking her fifth consecutive - and sixth in eight innings overall - score in excess of 50. 

Rawal showed she possesses both power and placing by top-scoring with 78 (91 balls, 7x4, 1x6). Her only disappointment would have been that she did not go on to a second ODI century after being dropped by Chloe Tryon on 71 in the deep. 

India’s middle-order maintained the momentum throughout the innings with solid contributions from Jemimah Rodrigues (41 off 32 balls) and captain Harmanpreet (41 not out off 48 balls).

The Proteas bowlers toiled throughout, although left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba produced a tidy 10-over spell of 2/55. Veteran seamer Masabata Klaas was economical returning figures of 1/43, while Nadine de Klerk also finished with 1/39.

Scores in brief:

India: 276/6 (Rawal 78, Harmanpreet 41*, Rodrigues 41, Mlaba 2/55, De Klerk 1/39