South Africa 2009

Match Reports

08th February v Northern Suberbs

The tour got underway with the first fixture against a Northern Suberbs XI at Durbanville CC. Winning the toss, skipper Vicky Bowden won the toss and elected to bat on a bright sunny day. Together with Frances Lausen 61 was added for the first wicket before Lausen was caught, making a patient 17. There followed a mini collapse as three further wickets fell for just 14 runs and the tourists were tottering on 75-4. There followed a period of re-building as Nicole Richards (33) and Julia Hayes (35 no) added 70 for the 5th wicket before Richards was caught. Hayes then marshalled the tail, despite wickets falling on a regular basis to allow the visitors to post 175-9.

The hosts got off to a similar start with Robyn Appels making a very good 47 before being run out by skipper Bowden. The Devon girls bowled well enough but were unable to apply the brakes until spinners Nicole Richards and Becky Piddock shared 18 overs for 45 runs. The loss of one further wicket however left the South African girls with plenty in hand, despite the wickets in hand Devon did manage to make the hosts work hard all the way with Becky Bertrand removing the dangerous Ricka Von Eck for 34. Alas it was a little too late as Northern Suberbs got home with three balls to spare. Overall a good workout and an encouraging performance.

09th February v Southern Suberbs

Monday saw the girls face a strong side which fielded four South African International players at Green Point Stadium, the World Cup Stadium for 2010 now beginning to dominate the skyline. The hosts won the toss and elected to bat on what looked like a very good batting wicket. Devon’s bowlers struggled to find a length, either too full or too short and were punished heavily by the South African girls. Jodie Davis removed the dangerous Olivia Anderson and with the quick loss of Shandre Fritz, Southern Suberbs slipped to 77-3 with 12 overs gone. The Devon girls stuck to their task well and from what looked like a daunting total being posted managed to bowl their hosts out for 229 inside the 48th over. Tessa Dibble and Jodie Davis picked up a couple of wickets each and Giselle Ansley put in an excellent spell of seam bowling to take 1-31 from her 10 overs.

The Devon reply got off to worst start as the lost skipper Bowden caught and bowled off the second ball of the innings. Amara Carr and Rebecca Bertrand then looked to be coping well with conditions before Bertrand was run out, Carr soon followed attempting a pull shot that went straight to square leg.  Julia Hayes soon followed and despite a patient 22 from Giselle Ansley the Devon girls failed to get to grips with the South African spinners and the innings subsided to 99 all out. An area that would surface throughout the tour was beginning to emerge, Devon would keep losing wickets in clumps and it is an area that needs to be addressed for the 2009 season.

10th February v Western Province Women

At the beautiful Uitsig Constantia ground Devon once again came up against a strong Provincial side. Western Province batted first and despite the early loss of Ricka von Eck rattled along as Olivia Anderson and Shandre Fritz added 93 for the 2nd wicket. Once again the Devon girls could not be faulted for their efforts in the field with bowlers setting better fields and bowling to them. Becky Piddock was the pick of the bowling with 2-50 but was well supported by fellow spinner Nicole Richards 1-27 and the seamers.

A promising start again as Vicky Bowden and Rebecca Bertrand added 44 for the first wicket but once again once the first wicket went down, Devon capitulated to 100 all out with only the openers making double figures. Clear shot selection and thinking was not evident and there was plenty to do in the remaining matches to turn the tour around.

11th February v Western Province U19

A fourth game on the trot was not ideal but a change in the itinerary meant the girls got to play at the lovely Vineyard Oval. Batting first, openers Bowden and Richards made a steady start, the curse of the first wicket hit again however as Devon slipped to 63-4. Skipper Bowden made 24 but it was left to Julia Hayes to hit 26 to take the total to 100 as the visitors posted another disappointing total of just 100.

The response was excellent as the hosts were shot out for just 51 with two wickets each Jodie Dibble, Nicole Richards and Giselle Ansley. A magnificent effort once again in the field as the tourists finally got off the mark.

15th February v Western Cape XI

A three day break and the chance to see the Cobras play the Dolphins at Newlands was followed by a trip to the rugby, also at Newlands as the Stormers played the Sharks in the opening Super 14 match.  Western Cape won the toss and elected to bat, a strange decision as it proved with wickets falling at regular intervals. Jodie Davis again bowled a tidy opening spell along with another good stint from Giselle Ansley. It was left to the spinners to pick up the bulk of the wickets however as Nicole Richards 3-9 and Rebecca Piddock 3-18 were instrumental in bowling the hosts out for 83.

Once again the batting failed to materialise, three run outs was disappointing and it was left to Giselle Ansley to again anchor the side and take the side to a second victory with an unbeaten 26.

16th February v Western Cape Colts

A couple of older age players bolstered the WP Colts side and they had to thank Robin Appels for her third score in the forties against the tourists as she held the innings together with 46. The hosts succumbed from 68-1 to 95 all out, Becky Piddock picking up 4-26 with Nicole Richards returning from a nasty blow on the knee to claim 3-7.

The Devon batting finally looked like it was clicking into gear with all the top four making double figures, Becky Bertrand looked a good young bat and made a steady 21, Amara Carr once again was striking the ball well before falling trying to hit the spinner over the top. Bertrand and the ultra consistent Ansley saw the tourists to the line before Ansley was joined by Kate Sargeant to hit the winning runs, Ansley finished unbeaten on 31 as the visitors won by 6 wickets to recover well from the early losses to end up with a 3-3 record.