Dercksen, Sekhukhune Command The Spotlight As SA Emerging Clinch T20 Series Against Zimbabwe

HARARE: Top-order batter Annerie Dercksen and seamer Tumi Sekhukhune were the the stars of present in the sixth and final T20 as the SA Emerging team sealed a 53-run victory over Zimbabwe at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare to win the series 3-2.

Dercksen top-scored for South Africa with her second half-century of the tour, dispatching four fours and three sixes en route to 50 off 38 deliveries as the tourists notched up 166/3 in the first innings before Sekhukhune returned impactful figures of three for 12 in her four overs to restrict Zimbabwe to 113 every out.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first in the series-decider, the Emerging team got off to an excellent start as the opening pair of Dercksen and Andrie Steyn (37) combined for 96 runs for the first wicket before the home side fought back to behind down South Africa’s dominance.

With the away side going strong at the crease and with Dercksen having just raised her bat to celebrate her fifty, Loreen Tshuma (2/20) made the most of her final over of the match, removing the risky Dercksen before sending her opening partner Steyn back to the changeroom two balls later.

Having seen the back of both in-batters, Zimbabwe’s Francisca Chipare (1/30) then quickly picked up the scalp of youngster Asakhe Nyovane (1) to see the SA Emerging team collapse from 96/0 to 98/3 in a space of 11 deliveries to give the hosts a way back into the contest.

Zimbabwe’s momentum in the field was short-lived as captain Nondumiso Shangase (28*) and all-rounder Jenna Evans produced an unbeaten 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Evans led the charge with an undefeated 26-ball 38*, which included three fours and two sixes to see SA Emerging halt on 166/3 after 20 overs.

Tasked with chasing down the largest target of the six-match T20 series, Zimbabwe’s chase of 167 for victory got off to a stuttering start as Eliz-Mari Marx (1/19) and Sekhukhune claimed the wickets of three of the four top-order batters to leave the home team 32/3 at the start of the seventh over.

Thanks to contributions from Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano (37) and Kelis Ndhlovu (24) in a 48-run, fourth-wicket stand, Zimbabwe were propelled to 80/3 before Jané Winster (2/12) and Shangase (1/23) joined the attack to distinguished effect to crash the partnership and dismiss both batters to leave the host nation reeling on 82/5.

Things went from rotten to worse for Zimbabwe as wickets began to descend in quick succession, with South Africa’s Seshnie Naidu (2/13), Evans (1/7), Winster as well as Sekhukhune putting their opposition to the sword to succor the Emerging side confirm the emphatic win on the day and in the series with four balls to spare.

Sekhukhune picked up the Player of the Match award thanks to her steller return of three for 12 in her four overs.

Following an impressive showing with the bat, South Africa’s Annerie Dercksen completed the series on top of the runs list with 166 in six innings at an average of 33.20, while Zimbabwe’s Kelis Ndhlovu stood tall with ball in hand with 11 wickets at 12.63.

SA Emerging Women Squad vs Zimbabwe (2023/24):

Nobulumko Baneti (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Mieke de Ridder (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Jenna Evans (DP World Lions), Lara Goodall (Western Province), Leah Jones (Western Province), Tebogo Macheke (Fidelity Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Refilwe Moncho (DP World Lions), Seshnie Naidu (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Asakhe Nyovane (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Nondumiso Shangase (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Andrie Steyn (Western Province), Jané Winster (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers)

Results: SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe

Sunday, 19 November –
SA Emerging beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets
Zimbabwe: 96/7 after 20 overs; J. Nkomo 34* (50), N. Gwanzura 26 (22); E. Marx 2/9, N. Shangase 1/6
SA Emerging: 99/2 after 11.2 overs; A. Dercksen 58* (30), A. Steyn 16 (15); K. Ndhlovu 2/12, A. Mazvishaya 0/7

Monday, 20 November –
Zimbabwe beat SA Emerging by six wickets (DLS)
SA Emerging: 69/4 after 8 overs; N. Shangase 22* (12), A. Steyn 17 (13); K. Ndhlovu 3/19, L. Mabhero 0/8
Zimbabwe: 70/4 after 7.4 overs; C. Mugeri-Tiripano 42* (18), M. Musonda 14 (13); S. Naidu 2/22, E. Marx 1/9

Wednesday, 22 November –
Zimbabwe beat SA Emerging by three wickets
SA Emerging: 105/9 after 20 overs; A. Dercksen 27 (28), L. Goodall 25 (32); L. Tshuma 4/21, J. Nkomo 2/13
Zimbabwe: 106/7 after 18.3 overs; A. Ndiraya 34 (30), L. Tshuma 24* (18); L. Jones 3/16, T. Sekhukhune 2/19

Friday, 24 November –
SA Emerging beat Zimbabwe by 12 runs
SA Emerging: 127/7 after 20 overs; A. Steyn (32), N. Shangase 26 (35); K. Ndhlovu 3/19, N. Sibanda 1/13
Zimbabwe: 115/7 after 20 overs; M. Musonda 53 (51), N. Gwanzura 15 (9); E. Marx 2/18, L. Jones (2/12)

Sunday, 26 November
No Result
SA Emerging: 107/8 after 20 overs; A. Steyn 30 (23), N. Shangase 19 (18); K. Ndhlovu 2/24, L. Tshuma 1/17
Zimbabwe: 14/0 after 1,3 overs; M. Musonda 10* (6), M. Mupachikwa 4* (3); E. Marx 0/10

Monday, 27 November
Result:
SA Emerging: 166/3 after 20 overs; A. Dercksen 50 (38), J. Evans 38* (26); L. Tshuma 2/20, F. Chipare 1/30

Source: cricket.co.za

Dale Steyn: Dale Steyn is considered the best fast bowler of this generation and his stats say the same. He along with stumps has broken a lot of records as well. He was the number 1 bowler statistically for 263 weeks.
Steyn has dominated test cricket. Hence, he is regarded as the supreme force. Steyn has picked 439 Test wickets in just 93 matches. Steyn is South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.
In all the formats Steyn has picked up He has been awarded 697 wickets in all formats and is South Africa’s 2nd highest wicket-taker.