And as the cameras pan to Wong, signing autographs for adoring young fans, it’s time for me to call it a day. The next T20 is a week today, kicking off at 6.30pm. Can South Africa pull one back to give them a little confidence for the Commonwealth Games? Join us to find out.
Thanks for all the messages, good night!
Luus: “Obviously we were a couple of runs short, the bowlers did very well. I think having the top six adding an extra 30-40 runs would really help. The bowling was much better, we could just do with one or two batters to fire.”
Knight: “The way Dunkley played, the intent she had, its going to take time to adjust to it, but the way she played was very fun to watch. The batting line up is strong, we want to go hard and we’ve got the batting line up to do that. It’s been really nice after quite a tough winter to get some easy wins and be low maintenance.”
Player of the match: Katherine Brunt. “ I just want to keep ticking along, finding form has been difficult. I’ve been working really hard with Tim Lawrence our bowling coach, its tricky as you get older, doubt creeps in, had to change my mentality, I feel I’ve still got it and as long as I have I’ll keep performing for England,” Oh it was a career best tonight!
[On Wong.] “She’s a good egg, an incredible cricketer, she’s super keen, she absorbs everything, she’s one of the most genuine people you’ll meet.”
Updated
A comprehensive thrashing by England, who take an unassailable lead (10-2) in the the multi-format series, with two T20 games still to be played.
Excellent by England in the field, with the ball, and the bat. Old warhorse Brunt and young thing Dunkley stand out - but it was a team win.
Khaka bowled like a dream for South Africa, and Wolvaart performed again with the bat, but the railroad truck feels a rusty in places, with some missing bolts.
Updated
England win by six wickets and take the series!
15th over: England 114-4 (Knight 24, Jones 11) Jones dots the Is - Ismail’s slower ball is powered away, falling just short of six but rolling over the rope, and then leans the ball away to win the match - with five overs to spare!
14th over: England 104-4 (Knight 23, Jones 3) Heather Knight running through her repertoire against Tryon - a sumptuous driver through the covers for four, a pre-meditated scoop for four and then a dainty dally and push. Nearly there now - seven needed.
13th over: England 96-4 (Knight 14, Jones 3) England happy to play out Khaka’s last over and she pulls on her custard jumper with a resigned look. Excellence in defeat.
Updated
12th over: England 92-4 (Knight 12, Jones 1) Just the one boundary off Tucker - though of course that’s more than enough. A neat reverse-sweep by Knight.
All South Africa need is Khaka to bowl the last 10 overs, and they're sorted!
— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) July 21, 2022
11th over: England 87-4 (Knight 8) A mixed bag from Bosch - no ball, a pulled four from Knight, a smoked six over long on by Dunkley, and then the wicket.
“Peepers not what they were, and a nice strong cup of Malbec might have misled me, but think I saw the Sky bowling analysis had replaced OMRW with a more gender-neutral(?) ODRW. I may be well off the pace, so wonder if you could tell me what the D stands for? Can’t be Damsels. Desmoiselles (nah, that’s French cricket)? Doodles? Droughts?”
Jon, desperate for a pair of bi-focals, I can’t work out if you’re being serious or not. The D, I think, is for dots. Please advise!
WICKET! Dunkley c Khaka b Bosch 59 (England 87-4)
Dunkley goes for another big one, knee down for maximum ommph, but this time it’s Khaka on the boundary - and tonight is her night.
10th over: England 74-3 (Dunkley 52, Knight 3) Tryon whistles through an over before drinks and England need 38 runs from the second half of the innings.
Fifty for Dunkley!
9th over: England 70-3 (Dunkley 50, Knight 0) Well, this opening lark isn’t too bad: another fifty for Dunkley, this one off just 31 balls. Lovely bit of skill by Khaka to dismiss Sciver, a slower ball at just 53 mph.
Updated
WICKET! Sciver b Khaka 13 (England 69-3)
Another bowled, another wicket for Khaka! Sciver foxed by a slower ball going for a leggy waft.
Updated
8th over: England 66-2 (Dunkley 48, Sciver 12) A drop! Just what South Africa didn’t need as Dunkley yomps up and over and Ismail goes to take the ball down by her ankles but inexplicably lets it fall - I wonder if, with the light dropping, she missed it in the glare of the floodlights
7th over: England 59-2 (Dunkley 44, Sciver 9) What can Ismail do? Another no-ball, another free hit, but this time, she can only pick up one. Lovely from Sciver, swivel and pull for four, skimming the grass to the rope and England romping along here.
6th over: England 50-2 (Dunkley 42, Sciver 3) Dunkley attacks - four straight and wild, then again, with bent knee, as top-edge flies down to the third boundary. Then a beauty for SIX - pure class, a checked drive bisecting field east to west. Klaas jogs away - not much to be done about that.
5th over: England 34-2 (Dunkley 27, Sciver 2) Slower, fuller - excellent bowling.
WICKET! Smith c Khaka 2 (England 30-2)
A second for Khaka! Smith, cement feet, swipes and misses.
4th over: England 30-1 (Dunkley 25, Smith 2) Tryon chewing, chewing on her gum, left arm over. A couple off the first two balls, then another Dunkley boundary, doormat dance then pow - down the ground. Tryon sprints back off her own bowling as Smith slices high, but can’t quite make the catch.
3rd over: England 21-1 (Dunkley 18, Smith 0) The slender figure of Khaka both slows the rate and takes a wicket. Class bowling.
WICKET! Wyatt b Khaka 0 (England 21-1)
So many bowleds tonight! Wyatt tries to dance downtown but is beaten for pace and waves farewell to her off stump.
Updated
2nd over: England 20-0 (Dunkley 18, Wyatt 0) Klaas is not happy - first Dunkley is dropped a third by Goodall - then she is smash n grabbed for six by the same player over midwicket.
Updated
England are chasing 112
1st over: England 11-0 (Dunkley 9, Wyatt 0) A no-ball from Ismail brings a free hit, Dunkley leans back and slams the ball back over the bowler’s head for four. Four more next ball, out in front of her body and through the covers. Then a wide. Nine runs from the first over - at this rate, things will be over before dark.
“Morning from the colonies, Tanya,’ Morning Steve Perrin.
“Any chance you could find out what Brunty had for breakfast as I would like some.”
Google gives me no idea, so I’m going to make it up: a monstrous cup of builder’s tea, five eggs, sunny side up, and a couple of crumpets.
Tell me if it works.
They’re back and I haven’t put the kettle on!
20th over: South Africa 111-9 ( Khaka 0, Ismail 1) Katherine Brunt can’t grab the wicket that will haul her in front of Anya Shrubsole in the T20 hall of fame, and give her a fifth tonight, but super bowling all round- that little spell from Brunt at the start reduced South Africa to penury before they could get going. It is only Wolvaardt’s fifty which gives them even a slither of a chance.
Updated
WICKET! Klaas run out (Sciver) 1 (South Africa 110-9)
Pin-point throw from Sciver, Jones polished the silver.
WICKET! Wolvaardt c Sciver b Brunt 55 (South Africa 109-8)
A super swoop on the midwicket boundary by Sciver - Wolvaardt searching for the rope.
Updated
19th over: South Africa 109-7 ( Wolvaardt 55, Ishmail 1) The ball before she was out, Jafta slog-sweeps, ugly but effective for six, Wolvaardt pulls for four and that’s unexpectedly expensive from Ecclestone - 12 from the over.
WICKET! Jafta b Ecclestone 7 (South Africa 103-7)
Going for a full slog, is beaten by a flat air to sea missile. Ecclestone points the way home.
Updated
18th over: South Africa 97-6 ( Wolvaardt 50, Jaffa 1) So Wolvaardt makes another fifty, from 45 balls, but she’s fast running out of partners.
WICKET! Tucker c Dunkley b Brunt 8 (South Africa 96-6)
A weary waft to cover
17th over: South Africa 95-5 ( Wolvaardt 49, Tucker 8) Under floodlights, these new England tops are almost glowing. Wong, dangly earing in her left ear, rapid approach. Wolvaardt finds the boundary but it is a little more forced that it was in the last match. Not quite the exquisite timing.
“So great to follow womens’ cricket almost in real time - and in far-away Finland too!” taps Robin King. “Got really enthusiastic with womens’ cricket last summer with the Hundreds. The women are so much more human than the men: support each other even though on the other side - “sledging” is far away from their game. If only we could get cricket on tv (or nowadays on the net) again, as it was in my boyhood days (1950’s). But anyway, thank you, and good on you, as they say elsewhere.”
Thanks Robin! I think there is a bit of sledging from time to time, but certainly much less. So glad you enjoy the coverage - I remember a group of women wrote in from Finland during the first Hundred game - they were having a party to celebrate.
16th over: South Africa 85-5 ( Wolvaardt 41, Tucker 7) You’re 80-5 in the 16th, who do you least want to see? Ah, Sophie Ecclestone. But actually she generously lays on a wide first ball, but only two come off the bat.
15th over: South Africa 80-5 ( Wolvaardt 39, Tucker 6) Sciver fires up a short one and Tucker attempts a scoop which just dribbles behind Amy Jones. A second attempt also brings no cigar.
14th over: South Africa 77-5 ( Wolvaardt 38, Tucker 5) While Brunt waits to come back on the field, Wong gets the nod. She fizzes in a short un with some testing length balls. How big a load can Wolvaardt carry tonight?
13th over: South Africa 74-5 ( Wolvaardt 38, Tucker 3) That Ecclestone, she know what she’s doing.
David Keech writes, all the way from the US “I second your joy at the rapid growth of women’s sports. I also really enjoy listening to the women who are now routinely included in the TMS commentary team. They fulfill their role as either ball by ball commentator or expert analyst as equals without a hint of inferiority. The different vocal range breaks up the monotone of the men’s voices over a long day.” I think so too - much more interesting to have a mix of voices.
WICKET! Tryon lbw Ecclestone 9 (South Africa 69-5)
I don’t think Tryon really believed in that review, after sweeping at Ecclestone and being hit on her green-trousered front leg. Sure enough - ball tracking sends her on her way.
Updated
12th over: South Africa 69-4 ( Wolvaardt 36, Tryon 9) Tryon wangs Smith for four over mid-off, a powerful heave.
“Hello Tanya.” Andrew Benton, lovely to hear from you.
“I think it was the final men’s test against New Zealand just recently that there were no women presenters on the BBC daily roundup show - that felt really weird, three blokes standing on the pitch talking to each other, like we we’d gone back 25 years. And, was there women’s skiing on Ski Sunday back in the good old days (I saw it in the ‘80s) or am I ‘mis-remembering’?”
Oooh I don’t know - you might well be right?
Updated
11th over: South Africa 61-4 ( Wolvaardt 35, Tryon 3) A gorgeous back foot cut by Wolvaardt off Glenn to raise spirits in the camp. And at the half way stage, South Africa need to get motoring.
Updated
10th over: South Africa 54-4 ( Wolvaardt 29, Tryon 0) Wong makes up for a fielding cock-up that gifts Wolvaardt a four.
Updated
WICKET! du Preez c Wong b Sciver 4 (South Africa 52-4)
Wong holds on with both hands as du Preez plays a rather desperate heave and dobs the ball to the covers.
Updated
Key event
9th over: South Africa 41-3 ( Wolvaardt 24, du Preez 0) Glenn strikes in her second over and it is already looking a bit messy for South Africa. How rusty is du Preez? Can she hang around while Wolvaardt attacks?
Updated
WICKET! Bosch b Glenn 18 (South Africa 41-3)
The third bowled of the innings! Bosch tries to cut unadvisedly and it is stumps akimbo.
8th over: South Africa 41-2 (Bosch 18, Wolvaardt 22) Just one over for Ecclestone as Bryony Smith enters the attack. And just the four from it. Dibble-dobble.
7th over: South Africa 37-2 (Bosch 16, Wolvaardt 20) Sarah Glenn, long ash-blond pony, trademark action with left arm horizonally scattering the grass seed. This is her first run-out in an England shirt this summer. South Africa push and run.
6th over: South Africa 31-2 (Bosch 11, Wolvaardt 14) Double change from Knight, as she summons Ecclestone. Wolvaardt isn’t nervous of taking on the world’s No. 1 spinner, takes a huge front stride and wellies her over long off for four.
5th over: South Africa 26-2 (Bosch 11, Wolvaardt 14) Wolvaardt on the charge again, picking eight off Sciver’s first over with a boundary and a couple of energetic prods. She’s been in such top form over the last few weeks.
4th over: South Africa 18-2 (Bosch 11, Wolvaardt 6) Wolvaardt manages to find the boundary even when she doesn’t time it, scruffing Wong to the midwicket rope.
Updated
3rd over: South Africa 13-2 (Bosch 11, Wolvaardt 1)A pretty disastrous start here for South Africa, whose tour is in danger of slipping into a sloppy mess.
To make things worse, Marizanne Kapp is not available for selection, after flying homve for family reasons.
Updated
WICKET! Luus b Brunt 0 (South Africa 7-2)
Brunt’s hundredth T20 wicket seams in, avoids Luus’s random wave of the bat, and clips the top of ’ off stump
Updated
2nd over: South Africa 2-1 (Bosch 2, Luus 0) An excellent opening over from Wong, who looks anything but overawed! Hitting the mid-70s and hitting the lengths!
1st over: South Africa 1-1 (Bosch 1, Luus 0) Fantastic start for Katherine Brunt who follows up the wicket that never was, with an indisputable seam-up castling.
WICKET! Goodall b Brunt 0 (South Africa 1-1)
The very next ball Goodall has a dirty swipe and is bowled!
Updated
NOT OUT!
Air between bat and ball
REVIEW! Goodall c Jones b Brunt 0 (South Africa 1-1)
The players aren’t very interested but it is given out on the field..
The players and support staff take the knee, England in red trousers and blue trews, South Africa in banana custard tops and bright green trousers.
Can I just add what a joy it is to this old girl that three women are on TV talking with passion and knowledge - and without apology - about professional women cricketers. I know there’s a long way to go but it is such a massive change from when I was a little girl when the only women’s sport on telly was tennis - which was accompanied by knicker shots in the papers - and athletics. But enough, South Africa are helmeted up and we will soon have PLAY!
Lydia Greenway spoke to Sophia Dunkley about what she’d do IF she was bumped up the order. “I’ll play my natural game,” she says. “I want to make my impact in England T20s, I don’t think I’ve done that.”
Could be a good night!
Another debut for Issy Wong, this time in T20 cricket, and Sophia Dunkley moves up the order to open. For South Africa, Mignon du Preez is back, via a holiday in Greece.
Teams
England: Danni Wyatt, Sophia Dunkley, Nat Sciver, Heather Knight, Amy Jones, Maia Bouchier, Bryony Smith, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Issy Wong, Sarah Glenn
South Africa: Anneke Bosch, Lara Goodall, Sune Luus, Laura Wolvaardt, Mignon du Preez, Chloe Tryon, Delmi Tucker, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka
England win the toss and will bowl
“Feels like Chelmsford under lights is easier to chase,” says Knight. “This will be really good preparation for the Commonwealths.”
While we wait for the toss, I was just reading about the random gifts Rishi Sunak gave Lobby journalists.
Team Rishi brought the lobby a little care package for the road. Can of pop, finger of twix and branded factor 30. pic.twitter.com/Z4JvYS20Hb
— Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) July 21, 2022
I think I can beat that. Today the FFP2 masks I ordered for our holiday arrived, along with the free gifts of a mini packet of love hearts and a pen that doubles up as a torch.
What is your most peculiar freebie?
Preamble
Hello! Here we are again, bang in the middle of a dizzying round of women’s cricket, still in white ball clothing, but this time the shortest format.
The recent T20 head-to-heat stats are close - with England just pipping it with three wins to South Africa’s two. Today, we’re at Chelmsford - where Simon Harmer took 13 wickets last week to spin Essex to victory. Different pitch tonight, and relief from the boiling heat of the third ODI, where South Africa rather shrivelled.
England can’t lose after winning the ODI series and drawing the Test, but lots for South Africa to fight for.
This is Women’s T20 international number 1168 - how many can you remember?
