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Cross cannot recover in time from back spasms, allowing MacDonald-Gay to earn her first Test cap. Meanwhile, Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed the fastest century in women’s Test history, reaching 100 runs off just 96 balls. She surpassed debutant Maia Bouchier, who had briefly held the England record with a 124-ball century, in a dominant display of […]
Cross cannot recover in time from back spasms, allowing MacDonald-Gay to earn her first Test cap. Meanwhile, Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed the fastest century in women’s Test history, reaching 100 runs off just 96 balls. She surpassed debutant Maia Bouchier, who had briefly held the England record with a 124-ball century, in a dominant display of batting in Bloemfontein.
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England finished with their ninth-highest score and were on track to set a new record before a late South African comeback curtailed their momentum. South Africa took 6 for 96 in the third session, with left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba claiming a career-best 4 for 90 as the pitch began to show signs of turn. This will undoubtedly please England’s spin duo, Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone, who know that the surface’s deterioration will only accelerate in hot conditions.
With overhead clouds and the floodlights on, some movement was in the air. Heather Knight hoped her seamers could make inroads when she declared with England nine down, leaving South Africa with six overs to face. Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch safely navigated those overs, ending on 17 without loss. They will resume on day two, with a forecast of blue skies and calm, windless conditions.
On what is often referred to as the flattest pitch in the country, Heather Knight chose to bat first, and England made full use of the batter-friendly conditions. Four of their first five partnerships exceeded fifty runs, with the standout third-wicket stand of 174 off 172 balls between Maia Bouchier and Nat Sciver-Brunt showcasing their attacking approach. They scored under five runs per over for the first two sessions, leaving South Africa searching for answers.
South African captain Laura Wolvaardt employed eight bowlers in the first session and a half. However, they were still looking for their rhythm. They conceded 47 fours and two sixes in the first two sessions, with 59 fours overall, and their ground fielding was sloppy, with several balls slipping through hands or underbodies. South Africa will rue the missed opportunities early in the innings. Marizanne Kapp appealed for an LBW against Tammy Beaumont off the second ball of the morning. Still, debutant umpire Kerrin Klaaste turned it down. With no DRS available, South Africa could not review. Beaumont, then on four, was dismissed for 21 when she pulled Ayanda Hlubi to Sune Luus at midwicket. Bouchier was also scared when she had a mid-pitch mix-up with Knight, but Tumi Sekhukhune’s throw was wide, allowing Bouchier, on nine, to survive.
Sekhukhune, who had been introduced in the 26th over, found some swing and could have had Bouchier early, but Kapp misjudged a catch off a wild swing from Bouchier, and the ball went for six. Bouchier had raced to 43 off her first 45 balls and took 25 more deliveries to reach her half-century, showing the patience required in this format. England went to lunch on 103 for 1.
South Africa found some success after the break when Sekhukhune dismissed Knight lbw with the third ball of the session, but it was then the Sciver-Brunt show. She started with a gentle push to mid-on for four, and boundaries kept flowing. Bouchier took three off a Dercksen over that moved her into the 80s, and she reached her century with a six straight down the ground off Sekhukhune. Sciver-Brunt, meanwhile, quickly reached her half-century off just 46 balls, the second fastest in Test cricket. By the time Bouchier reached her hundred, Sciver-Brunt had raced to 68 off 66 balls. She continued to accelerate and went her own century with a quick two off Luus, marking her second Test century, following her unbeaten 169 in the 2022 Taunton Test against South Africa.
Bouchier was dismissed the next over before tea, chasing a ball from Mlaba that turned slightly. Luus, at slip, reacted quickly, taking a catch above her head to the right. Another wicket fell just two overs after the break when Mlaba got one to grip and turn, edging Danni Wyatt-Hodge. England were 299 for 4 in the 63rd over.
South Africa applied pressure after tea, conceding only 56 runs in the next 15 overs, keeping the rate below four runs per over. Sciver-Brunt’s scoring slowed significantly after her century, managing just 28 runs off the successive 47 balls but still looking to keep the momentum going. She was run out when Amy Jones drove the ball back to Mlaba, who deflected it onto the stumps. Sciver-Brunt had to walk with only two run-out cameras rather than the usual four.
Despite the breakthrough, South Africa did not take the second new ball when it became available, opting to continue with the spinners. Mlaba continued to find a turn from the Loch Logan end and bowled Charlie Dean off an under-edge. In her next over, Amy Jones mistimed a shot and skied the ball toward mid-off, where Kapp judged the swirling chance well, giving Mlaba her career-best fourth wicket.
The second new ball was taken after 90 overs and handed to Kapp, who had bowled just six overs in the first session. She struck immediately, bowling England’s second debutant, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, for 11 with a delivery that angled in and squirted past the inside edge. Hlubi then bowled Sophie Ecclestone when she missed a flick. Lauren Bell faced three balls before Knight declared the innings closed, 20 minutes before the scheduled end of the day.
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