England cruised to a six-wicket win in the third ODI against South Africa on Wednesday to take the series 2-1, relying on the steady hand of Tammy Beaumont after Marizanne Kapp had left them reeling dangerously at 25 for three.
After a two-and-a-half-hour rain delay, England were given a revised DLS target of 152 in 23 overs, but in a near repeat of their disastrous performance in the first ODI, Kapp’s ferocious new ball proved to be spellbinding. precious Nat Sciver-Brunt cut to backhand point to score her second duck in three matches, while the captain, Heather Knight, was visibly frustrated when Kapp’s nip-suppressed her out of the box, gesturing for some apparent movement behind the ball’s arm as she did. went away
But Kapp allowed just five spells, and when Beaumont finished with his head down, he found the gap and calmly took England towards his target to bring up his fastest ever ODI fifty (35 balls). She also seemed to have an infectious effect on Amy Jones, who hit two sweet boundaries off Nadine de Klerk, the pair’s 90-run partnership win for England came with 24 balls to spare. Beaumont joked about the victory at the haircut he received from teammate Kate Cross on the eve of the game: “It made me a lot lighter running between the creases,” he said.
Earlier, England had been forced to adjust their plans after the Cross collapsed in the aftermath of the first post-departure outbreak, and had to leave the field to negotiate. Alice Capsey has rarely bowled in international cricket – she bowled just 12.5 overs for England last year – and she had hardly expected to be called up here, but she has been thrust into the bow: first with a completed cross, then twice more from her bowling.
Admittedly, Capsey conceded 59 runs, but his two critical wickets in South Africa’s middle-order collapses led to some ill-fated middle-order advantage in Laura Wolvaardt’s top century. Some tight death bowling eventually restricted them to a sub of 233 for eight.
“A splendid effort,” said the knight. “To gather around that was a flat door that stood out in the heat. We were forced throughout, to win the game comfortably and in the end it was really nice.
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The tour concludes with a four-day Test at Bloemfontein, starting on Sunday.