Laura Wolvaardt half-century helps Proteas Women beat Pakistan

Laura Wolvaardt cracked a half-century as SA beat Pakistan by six wickets in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up match at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday.

Set 143 for victory, openers Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits broke the back of the run chase with an opening stand of 107 in 76 balls.

Wolvaardt hammered 65 with five fours and three sixes while Brits added a run-a-ball 36.

They were dismissed an over apart and then Anneke Bosch (3) and captain Sune Luus (3) fell quickly as the Proteas slipped to 116/4 in a matter of three overs.

But Chloe Tryon (12 not out) and Nadine de Klerk (14 not out) ensured the home team bounced back from their 17-run defeat to England in their first warm-up match on Monday.

All-rounder Aliya Riaz, who scored an unbeaten 48 for Pakistan, rounded off a good game by taking 2/24, including the wicket of Wolvaardt.

Earlier, Pakistan posted 142/5 thanks mainly to Riaz’s 30-ball innings which included seven fours and a six.

Pakistan lost opener Sidra Ameen in the sixth over with Proteas left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba piercing through her defence to bowl her for nine.

The 22-year-old Mlaba was once again a star of the show for the home team with the ball and she will play a major role in the World Cup starting against Sri Lanka at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday (7pm).

The KwaZulu-Natal turner was superb in the recently concluded Tri-Series against India and the West Indies, being instrumental in her team winning the tournament.

In the five matches she played at Buffalo Park in East London, Mlaba took six wickets for 52 runs in 16 overs at a miserly economy rate of 3.25 per over.

At Boland Park on Wednesday, she was at it again, opening the bowling with her accurate spin and conceding only nine in her first three overs. She came back for her last at the death and finished with tight figures of 1/17.

Seamer Ayabonga Khaka was the most successful of the SA bowlers, claiming 2/23 in her three overs.