Women’s T20 WC: South Africa hands Thailand 113-run thrashing

Electing to bat, South Africa posted 195 for three, the highest team total in the tournament’s history, while Thailand was bundled out for 82 in 19.1 overs.

South Africa's Sune Luus put up an all-round performance, scoring an unbeaten 61 and taking three wickets, against Thailand on Friday.

Opener Lizelle Lee smashed a blistering century before South African bowlers put up an outstanding effort to register an emphatic 113-run victory over debutant Thailand in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Friday.

Electing to bat, the Proteas posted 195 for three, the highest team total in the tournament’s history, on the back of opener Lee’s 60-ball 101 and Sune Luus’ unbeaten 61. In response, Thailand was bundled out for 82 in 19.1 overs.

With the win, South Africa strengthened its grip on Group B as it gets ready to take on Pakistan on Sunday with the semifinals in sight. Thailand, which has a knack for nabbing early wickets, was gifted one when Dane van Niekerk (2) patted Ratanporn Padunglerd’s full toss to mid-on.

Lee, 10th in the ICC T20I batting rankings, dominated the scoring and slog swept Onnicha Kamchomphu for a 75-metre six. Thailand was forced to use seven different bowlers inside nine overs but none could withstand Lee's assault. She reached her 50 from 35 balls with a straight six.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS |

24-year-old Luus, featuring in her fourth women’s T20 World Cup, then swung Chanida Sutthiruang’s full toss for six over fine leg. Lee came in without a half-century in nine international innings but glided towards a century in 59 balls, showing her touch with a late cut for four before bringing up a ton fittingly with a four.

Immediately after raising her bat to salute a jubilant South Africa dugout, she chipped a catch back to Suleeporn Laomi to end the partnership at 131. Luus soon registered her fourth T20I fifty. Chloe Tryon then carted Tippoch over the leg-side fence twice in the penultimate over that cost 20, to lift South Africa to a record total.

It didn’t take long for Thailand to lose its first wicket as Nattakan Chantam was run out due to a fine throw from keeper Trisha Chetty. Shabnim Ismail (3/8) tore apart the Thai batting attack, beating Nannapat Khoncharoenkai and then Naruemol Chaiwai with sheer pace in successive balls to complete a team hat-trick.

Tippoch and Nattaya Boochatham played out two maidens before a world-class catch from Laura Wolvaardt at midwicket accounted for the Thailand captain. Kamchomphu (26) led a lone resistance, hitting Ayabonga Khaka for back-to-back boundaries and striking Thailand’s first six of the tournament off Van Niekerk.

She nicked Luus behind in the 12th over before Chetty whipped off Boochatham’s bails to end her 31-ball vigil and also stumped Wongpaka Liengprasert (6) for the seventh wicket. Chanida Sutthiruang was given out lbw on review off Nadine de Klerk, while Laomi looped a catch to Van Niekerk and Ismail castled Padunglerd to complete a comprehensive win.

BRIEF SCORES South Africa: 195-3 in 20 overs (Lizelle Lee 101, Sune Luus 61 not out; Ratanaporn Padunglerd 1-19) Thailand: 82 all out in 19.1 overs (Onnicha Kamchomphu 26; Shabnim Ismail 3-8, Sune Luus 3-15)