Australia captain Meg Lanning hammered 134 as the Proteas Women went down by 66 runs on a D/L calculation in the second of five ODIs in Canberra on Sunday.
If the Proteas are to take anything from this game, it was another fine performance from Sune Luus, opening for the second time, and reaching a personal best when she scored 60 off 91 balls (5×4). On Friday she had matched her previous top score of 52, reached against Ireland in August.
But the batting belonged to the Australians. Lanning, while stroking 20 fours among her 122 deliveries, was superbly supported by Ellysa Perry, who broke the Proteas’ hearts in the first ODI on Friday with a career-best 93.
On Sunday she added a new best of 95 to a stand of 224 with Lanning, crushing any hopes the Proteas may have entertained when the Aussies were 27-2. The Australians, faraway winners of the ICC Women’s Championship which serves as qualification for the World Cup next year, ended on 278-4.
Ayabonga Khaka picked up three of those wickets, including that of Lanning, caught and bowled, but there was little joy for the other six bowlers in action.
Against such an offering, at 5.56 an over, the Proteas were under pressure from the off and were three down for 45 after 14 overs. It did not get any better when rain came down, and the Proteas had to up the pace to meet a revised target of 241 off 38 overs.
Luus and Dane van Niekerk put on 44 in 11 overs, by which time the required run rate was touching 12. The fight was effectually over when Van Niekierk was run out on 27 off 38.
Rain came down a second time to put an end to the day with the South African on 119-5.
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