DHAKA: A sudden batting collapse from Bangladesh Women, followed by a patient 76 from opener Trisha Chetty, paved the way for a comprehensive eight-wicket victory for South Africa Women, who swept the ODI series 3-0.

Chetty, the Player of the Match, struck six fours and one six during her innings, and added 108 for the third wicket with Marizanne Kapp, to chase down Bangladesh`s modest 177 inside two hours and in 38 overs. Kapp played the ideal partner to Chetty, making 59 off 67 deliveries and hitting six fours.

It wasn`t all smooth-sailing for South Africa though, because at one stage Bangladesh were cruising at 112 for 1, thanks to a 93-run second-wicket stand between Ayasha Rahman and Rumana Ahmed. Rumana scored 43 of those runs but her dismissal in the 33rd over led to a flurry of wickets. Rahman top-scored with a 115-ball 70 that included six fours, but she eventually edged to Kapp, off the pacer Marcia Letsoalo.

Bangladesh never recovered. Apart from Lata Mondal, the other seven remaining batters added just 16 runs between them. Letsoalo was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3 for 35, while Kapp and Dane van Niekerk took two scalps each to bowl Bangladesh out in 48.3 overs.

"I`m particularly pleased by the way the senior players have stepped up and come forward with match-winning performances," South Africa coach Hilton Moreeng said. "There were a number of milestones this series; Marizanne (Kapp) got a hat-trick, Mignon (Du Preez) scored her maiden ODI century and Sunette (Loubser) played in her 50th ODI, this is a great start for us going into the season."

The victory capped off an excellent series for the South Africa bowlers, who restricted Bangladesh to fewer than 200 on all three occasions. Young debutant opener Lizelle Lee finished as the leading run-scorer with 166, including two scores in the seventies, while the legspinner Sunette Loubser was the leading wicket-taker with seven at an average of 11.14.

Source: espncricinfo.com
BDST: 0908 HRS, SEP 25, 2013
RS/BSK