Lauren Bell takes four wickets to give England upper hand against South Africa
Bell took two wickets in two balls.
Lauren Bell took four wickets as England fought back on day two of their one-off Test match against South Africa and extended their lead to 145 runs.
Despite their solid start, a batting collapse in the evening session saw the Proteas dismissed for 281 in response to the visitors’ opening-day 395 for nine declared.
Captain Laura Wolvaardt put on a 92-run partnership with Annerie Dercksen, making 65 before being dismissed by Sophie Ecclestone.
Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp proved to a difficult duo to break as a dominant afternoon session saw the pair add 99, but debutant Ryana MacDonald-Gay found the breakthrough to take her first Test scalp by bowling Kapp.
The seamer soon struck again after a lightning delay to dismiss Nadine de Klerk and Bell orchestrated South Africa’s demise with three quick wickets, including two in two balls.
The hosts claimed a valuable wicket by dismissing Sunday’s centurion Maia Bouchier for a duck, but Tammy Beaumont and skipper Heather Knight steered England to 31 for one at the close of play.
Bell found the perfect start for England in the second over of the day when Anneke Bosch feathered the ball behind to Amy Jones.
Wolvaardt spearheaded South Africa’s response with a patient batting performance to bring up her half-century in 99 balls and her partnership with Dercksen was bearing fruit until England struck again on the stroke of lunch.
Lauren Filer’s shorter delivery to Dercksen was chipped up to the slip cordon and Knight palmed the ball up in the air for Ecclestone to take an excellent one-handed catch.
Ecclestone took her first wicket by dismissing Wolvaardt lbw for 65, but England were left frustrated by the fourth-wicket partnership of Luus and Kapp, who settled into their innings during the afternoon session to put on 87 before tea.
After the break Kapp brought up her 50 and she was shortly followed by Luus.
MacDonald-Gay brought England back into the game, claiming her maiden Test match wicket by ripping out Kapp’s off-stump and – following a short break in play due to lightning – the seamer soon had her second to dismiss new batter De Klerk, who edged to Jones.
A stubborn innings from Luus was eventually ended by Filer as the batter clipped behind to Jones to fall for 56 off 148 deliveries and Chloe Tryon was the next to go after hitting Bell’s delivery to Beaumont at mid-on.
Bell found further success as she clipped the top of Sinalo Jafta’s off-stump and sent Nonkululeko Mlaba’s middle stump flying the very next ball, but Ayanda Hlubi successfully defended the hat-trick ball.
The Proteas collapse was completed by Nat Sciver-Brunt, who took the final wicket of Hlubi as the hosts fell to 281 all out.
South Africa earned a valuable scalp six overs into England’s second innings when Bouchier was dismissed for a duck after feathering Hlubi’s delivery to Jafta.
Knight and Beaumont will resume day three on 19 and eight respectively.
