Masabata shows her 'Klaas' in Starlights victory; Bowlers help Thistles register second consecutive win

Nobulumko Baneti took a four-for and was ably supported by Shabnim Ismail and Jade de Fiqueirido as Thistles registered their second win on the trot at the ongoing Women’s Super League (WSL) on Tuesday (December 15). On the other hand, outstanding death bowling by Masabata Klaas and Tatum Le Roux ensured Starlights to snatch a dramatic two-run win over Coronations at Six Gun Grill Newlands in Cape Town.



 Coronations vs Starlights



After Monday’s loss, Starlights bounced back strongly with a thrilling two-run win over Coronations on Tuesday. Needing 12 off the last over, Izabella Cilliers and Ayabonga Khaka could manage only nine runs to lose by a narrow margin.



Chasing 133, Coronations opener Laura Wolvaardt, who scored a brilliant 59 against Duchesses on the previous day, started off at a brisk pace along with Tamsin Brits in the company. Coronations scored 34 runs at the end of the powerplay losing Brits for just 10.



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Kirstie Thompson (53) joined Wolvaardt in the middle as the duo hit opposition bowlers to cleaners before Nondumiso Shanghase struck twice in an over dismissing dangerous Wolvaardt and Verunissa Reddy to give a setback for the opposition.



However, Thomson had other plans as she continued with her blistering strokeplay reaching her 50-run mark in 45 balls. Just as when Coronations looked well on course for victory at 107 for 3 in the 17^th over, Masabata Klass (3/25) turned the match on her head dismissing Thompson and Nadine de Klerk in quick successions, both clean bowled.



Tatum Le Roux (1/26) dismissed Zintle Kula to add more misery.



Cilliers and Khaka tried their best towards the end but fell short narrowly. Earlier, a brilliant 62-ball 66 from Annemarie Dercksen helped Starlights post 132 for 4 in 20 overs.  Starlights didn’t have the best of the starts losing Lizelle Lee for a duck. But with Dercksen and Andrie Steyn (29) and Lara Woodall (22) also contributing, Starlights crossed the 130-run mark.



Duchesses vs Thistles



Nobulumko Baneti returned with figures of 4/18 to spearhead the Thistles’ defence to claim their second consecutive victory as they beat Duchesses by 36 runs.  Chasing 149 runs to win, the Sune Luus-led side never got going despite the valiant 42 from the skipper.



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Faye Tunicliffe was dismissed for a first-ball duck. Gandhi Jaffa (23) and Luus tried to steady the ship before the former was out with Duchesses at 38 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. However, it was the South African allrounder, who stood tall among all as she felt the lack of partners at the other end.



Besides Baneti, Ismail (2/15) and De Fiqueirido (3/23) also shared five wickets between them.



Earlier, quality knocks from openers Trisha Chetty (45) and Nonkululeko Thabethe (43) propelled Thistles to 148 for 4 in 20 overs. The duo started strongly putting 68 runs without a loss in the first 10 overs. Monalisa Legodi provided the big breakthrough dismissing Thabethe plumb in front.



Chetty followed suit soon after as Thistles’ run rate slowed in the late overs with Anneke Bosch contributing with run-a-ball 16. Zintle Mali (1/29), Paulinah Mashishi (1/12) and Legodi (1/14) picked up a wicket apiece.



Brief scores:



Starlights 132/4 in 20 overs (Annemarie Dercksen 66; Ayabonga Khaka 2/15) beat  Coronations 130/6 (Kirstie Thompson 53, Laura Wolvaardt 30; Masabata Klass 3/25) by two runs.  



Thistles 148/4 in 20 overs (Trisha Chetty 45, Nonkululeko Thabethe 43) beat Duchesses 112 all out (Sune Luus 42; Nobulumko Baneti 4/18, Jade de Fiqueirido 3/23, Shabnim Ismail 2/15) by 36 runs.