Women’s Cricket Match Reports: Western Province vs Eastern Province and Border on 3rd and 4th October 2009.

Western Province women start season with two convincing wins in the CSA Women’s Inter-provincial competition.

South African provincial champions Western Province got off to a flying start to the season with victories over Eastern Province in Despatch on Saturday October 3 and over Border the next day in East London.

After a delayed start due to overnight rain in Despatch, Western Province won the toss and put Eastern Province in to bat. After a slow start of 15 runs in the first 10 overs due to accurate bowling from speedsters Ashlyn Kilowan and Shabnim Ismail, E.P.wickets fell regularly to the Western Province spinners.  Nuraan Pipers (4 for 13) Leighshe Jacobs (2 for 7) and Yolani Fourie (2 for 24) were well supported in the field with Olivia Anderson joining the party with 3 stumpings, and EP were bundled out for 82 runs in the 41st over in less than 3 hours.

Western Province then knocked off the runs for the loss of only 1 wicket in 24.4 overs, with Olivia Anderson (42 not out) and Alexis le Breton (28) featuring in an opening partnership of 62.

In East London the next day, Border won the toss and put Western Province in to bat under leaden skies. Despite conditions favourable to the Border bowlers, the Province openers again put on a careful 60, and after the loss of a few cheap wickets, the experienced SA pair of Shandre Fritz and Ashlyn Kilowan capitalised on a sound start with an outstanding century partnership. Main contributors to an excellent Province total of 237 in 50 overs were Shandre Fritz (65) Ashlyn Kilowan (61 not out) Olivia Anderson (37) Alexis le Breton (28) and Tammy O’Connell (16 not out).  When Border went in to bat in intermittent drizzle and with rain threatening, Province used their spinners to achieve 23 overs in the hour before the covers came out.

After a rain delay of nearly two hours, Border batted for a further 6 overs to achieve a final total of 55 for 5 off 29 overs. For Province Yolani Fourie took 2 wickets for 14 runs off 10 overs, Shabnim Ismail 2 for 16 off 6 overs, and Leighshe Jacobs 1 for 8 off 2 overs, while Nuraan Pipers conceded only 14 runs off 10 immaculate but wicketless overs. Province were adjudged winners by 80 runs through the Duckworth Lewis method.
 
Captain Olivia Anderson commented: “We are all very pleased with our great start to the season and the way in which all the players took responsibility for their roles in the team. It was a great team all-round team effort but the century partnership by Shandre and Ashlyn must get a special mention.”
New coach of the WP team Cindy Thomas said “We performed very well on Saturday against Eastern Cape in hot humid conditions, and visibly upped our game against Border on Sunday. The urgency we displayed in the field on Sunday, with bad weather threatening to force a draw, showed a strong commitment to make the team's plan work.  When we went onto the field we were determined to get to the targets needed to ensure a positive outcome to the match. This attitude ensured the win under heavy cloud cover and constant drizzle.

With this type of attitude on the field I wish the SA Side good luck when we play them on Monday the 12th October, even with three of our players in the SA side”!

Western Province took full points (10) from the first two matches of the season.  As mentioned by Cindy Thomas, the Western Province team’s next challenge is a warm-up match against South Africa at Newlands on Monday October 12. The match is designed to assist the SA team in its preparations for the ODI series against the West Indies, which kicks off on Friday October 16 at Boland Park in Paarl.