Wolvaardt levels with Smriti, Lanning for most tons in women's international cricket
Johannesburg, April 23
South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt levelled with Indian batter Smriti Mandhana and Australian legend Meg Lanning for most centuries in women's international cricket.
Laura achieved this milestone during her side's third T20I match against India at Johannesburg, dominating a 193-run chase with a 53-ball 115, including 14 fours and five sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 216.98.
The South African skipper has a Test century, 13 women's ODI tons, and three T20I tons.
During the course of the series against India, Laura has scored three successive fifty-plus scores, with 220 runs at an average of 73.33 and a strike rate of 174.60, including a century and two fifties.
Coming to the match, SA won the toss and elected to field first. Half-centuries from Harmanpreet (66 in 38 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) and Shafali Verma (64 in 46 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) took India to 192/4 in 20 overs.
Nonkululeko Mlaba (2/31) was the pick of the bowlers for SA.
A century from Laura Wolvaardt, the SA skipper (115 in 53 balls, with 14 fours and five sixes), and a fifty from Sune Luus (64* in 42 balls, with six fours and two sixes) took SA to a crushing nine-wicket win with 21 balls in hand.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Fantastic knock by Wolvaardt! She's been in sublime form this series. But honestly, India's bowling attack looks toothless without our main pacers. We scored 192 and still lost by 9 wickets? That's worrying. Harmanpreet and Shafali did their job but the bowlers let us down badly. 😔
What a player Laura is becoming! 3 consecutive fifty-plus scores against India - that's consistency personified. Smriti will be watching this closely, competition is good for the game! Indian women's cricket needs to sort out their middle overs bowling though, too many loose deliveries.
Brilliant innings from Laura! 115 off 53 balls with a strike rate of 216 is just insane. Sune Luus also played a great supporting knock. But I'm a bit disappointed with our fielding - we dropped a catch and missed a run-out opportunity. Against top teams, you can't afford such mistakes. Still, great to see women's cricket getting so much attention! 🌟
Wolvaardt joining Smriti and Lanning at the top of the tons list is a testament to how good women's batting has become globally. But India's bowling attack looks one-dimensional - too reliant on spin, and the pace bowlers are leaking runs. We need to groom some genuine fast bowlers who can bowl yorkers at the death. Nevertheless, congratulations to Laura! 🏏
As a cricket fan, I'm loving this competition between Wolvaardt, Mandhana, and Lanning. They're pushing each
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