England Women vs South Africa Women, Only Test: Key stats
Rain played spoilsport as the one-off Test involving England Women and South Africa Women in Taunton ended in a draw. Resuming from 55/3, SA managed additional 126 runs on Day 4. Tumi Sekhukhune (33*) and Marizanne Kapp (43*) kept the hosts at bay. For England, pacers Kate Cross and Isabelle Wong put the visitors in a spot of bother. Here are the stats.
How did the lone Test pan out?
England restricted SA to 284 after electing to bowl. Cross (4/63) was the pick of the English bowlers. Kapp put up a fight against the hosts, dishing out a hostile-looking 150. England compiled 417/8d, taking a 133-run lead. Hundreds from Natalie Sciver and Alice Richards put the hosts in a dominating spot. Later, SA were left reeling at 181/5 but managed to stay put.
Maiden Test ton for Kapp
Kapp managed 150(213) and 43*(58) in the Test. She bashed a total of 34 fours in the concluded fixture. Playing only her second Test, Kapp cracked her maiden ton in whites, including a crucial 72-run stand alongside Anne Bosch for the sixth wicket. The all-rounder now has 212 Test runs at 70.66. Versus England, Kapp now has 193 runs while averaging a prolific 193.00.
Player of the Match: Natalie Sciver
Sciver had class written all over her in the Taunton Test. Coming in to bat at 74/2, Sciver held her fort and slammed 169* off 263 deliveries (21 fours). It was her maiden Test ton. She managed 1/29 later in the game. She eventually bagged the Player of the Match title. The middle-order batter now has 512 Test runs at 46.54.
Richards clocks a ton on Test debut
Richards, who was playing her maiden Test, bashed up a sublime-looking hundred in Taunton. The bowling all-rounder smacked 107 off 194 deliveries. She smashed 17 fours before being dismissed on the penultimate ball of Day 2. She threw her wicket while trying to slice a delivery outside off only to get caught at backward point. Richards had managed figures of 1/39 early on.
Sciver unlocks a herculean feat
As per ESPNcricinfo, Sciver now holds the record for the fourth-highest score by an Englishwoman in Tests. Betty Snowball (189 vs NZ, 1935), Rachael Heyhoe Flint (179 vs Australia, 1975), and Claire Taylor (177 vs SA, 2003) rank above her. Most notably, Sciver now has the sixth-highest score by a number four or a lower batter in Tests.
Sciver, Richards record a noteworthy partnership
Sciver and Richards played an invaluable part in England's fight-back. They added 207 runs for the sixth wicket. As per ESPNcricinfo, it is the joint-ninth-highest partnership in the history of women's Tests. They have equaled the record previously held by Janette Brittin and Carole Hodges.
Key numbers for Cross, Ecclestone
Cross was disciplined with her line and lengths throughout. She notched figures worth 4/63 and 2/56 in Taunton. The right-armer has now raced to 21 Test scalps at 24.67. Spinner Sophie Ecclestone bagged figures worth 1/33 and 1/26. She now has 17 wickets at 37.70.
