Batting disaster for Women’s Proteas in Perth Test

South Africa face a steep uphill climb to avoid defeat in the one-off Test against Australia in Perth after being bowled out for 76 on the opening day on Thursday. 

The Proteas, missing star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp due to illness, were bowled out in just more than a session for the lowest score by a South African women’s team in a Test. This is only South Africa's 14th Test match since 1960.

“It wasn’t a great day,” said seam bowler Masabata Klaas. 

However, she was responsible for a mini-revival, taking three wickets in the first five overs of the Australian first innings, reducing the visitors to 12/3, which included the wicket of Ellyse Perry, the holder of the highest Test score by an Australian women’s cricketer. At stumps, Australia were on 251/5, a lead of 175 runs. 

Unfortunately for the home team’s captain, Alyssa Healy, she was dismissed for 99, matching her husband Mitchell Starc’s highest Test score which he made against India 11 years ago. Healy mistimed an attempted drive hitting the ball straight back to the bowler Delmi Tucker, giving her a first Test wicket on her debut.

Healy and the Proteas’ nemesis in this multi-format series Beth Mooney dragged the home team out of a difficult spot with a partnership of 155. Those runs were scored at a brisk rate of more than five an over as the Proteas struggled to back up the start made by Klaas in what were extremely hot conditions, with thermometers in Perth touching 40°C.

Mooney, who before the Test took tips from Michael Hussey about the best approach for batting at the WACA, made 78 before edging Nadine de Klerk to Sune Luus at slip. 

“Our bowlers were too full, there were too many half volleys,” said Klaas. “I took tips from watching the Australians and I focused on hitting the right lines and lengths and that worked for me. We wanted to hit the deck hard and when we did that we got something out of the pitch.”

Australia’s 20-year-old quick bowler Darcie Brown took 5/21 after Healy won the toss and chose to bowl on a pitch which offered plenty of assistance to the new ball. South African captain Laura Wolvaardt’s struggles outside the off stump continued when she was dismissed in the fourth over by Brown, again nicking off, giving Mooney a catch at third slip after scoring four. 

By that stage Anneke Bosch was already back in the pavilion for a duck, starting a procession which only ended after lunch. Luus was the top scorer for the Proteas with 26.

Klaas said all hope was not yet lost for the Proteas. “The batters need to bat long, you could see with the Australians, the more they batted the better the wicket looked.”