Laura Wolvaardt trusts Proteas Women to bounce back from ICC Women's Cricket World Cup thrashing by England

Proteas Women skipper Laura Wolvaardt refused to blame the wicket for the thumping 10-wicket loss in their World Cup opener against England in Guwahati, India, on Friday.  

The South Africans were unable to recover from an early batting collapse and stumbled to 69 all out in the 21st over after they were put in to bat first. England cruised to the total in the 15th over.

World Cup debutant Linsey Smith was England’s destroyer-in-chief with 3/7, as the SA batters struggled to cope with the drift from the spinner who opened the bowling alongside Lauren Bell.

“I wouldn’t put it down to the toss. I think there was a lot of swing around early,” Wolvaardt said in her post-match media conference. 

“I think Linsey Smith was excellent with  the new ball. I think it was just one of those days with the bat where the top order and middle order failed on the same day."

It wasn't the ideal way to start the tournament but I do think that we have shown some resilience with the bat in the last 18 months and I’m sure we will bounce back and come back better in the rest of this competition."

Wolvaardt spooned a Smith delivery back to the spinner in the second over, Brits played around an in-swinging Smith delivery and was bowled for 5, before Sune Luus (2) also misread a Bell delivery and the stumps went flying. 

When spinner Smith castled Marizanne Kapp (4) with another in-swinging drifter in the sixth over, the Proteas were in deep trouble at 19/4. 

Sinalo Jafta then tried to bolster the innings with Anneke Bosch, until the latter was trapped lbw.

Experienced allrounder Chloe Tryon strode to the wicket with 41 overs still left in the innings and the Proteas’ top order in tatters. They were 38/5 after the PowerPlay, and then 38/6 in the 11th over, when Tryon was also sent packing.

Six wickets soon became seven when allrounder Nadine de Klerk departed for 3, caught at slip in the 14th over (48/7).

When Mlaba was skittled by Charlie Dean it brought the innings to a close on 69 (20.4 overs), the second-lowest total by the Proteas Women at the World Cup.

Chasing such a low total, England didn’t need to take any chances, and Tammy Beaumont and Amy Smith were rarely troubled despite the best efforts of opening bowlers Kapp and Tryon, reaching 23/0 after five overs.

At the end of the PowerPlay England’s score was 38/0 with Beaumont on 13 and Jones on 17. The duo then started to let loose, reaching their fifty in the 12th over. Klaas was unlucky not to hang on to a return catch after a slower ball had deceived Jones as everything seemed to be going England’s way. 

They reached the total in the 15th over, Jones top-scoring with 40.

“I don’t think there were too many demons in that pitch. I think it was just one of those days when everyone went out early. I think that happens in cricket sometimes,” Wolvaardt insisted afterwards.

“I think if you look at the way they batted, the wicket was alright. It’s not a wicket that we were foreign to. I think we’ve spent a lot of time in these conditions the last couple of months so definitely wouldn’t put it on the wicket. I think we were much better than 69 all out. It’s just one of those days.

“I think our prep has been good. As a group, we just need to put it behind us and move forward because if we’re going to take that into the next game, it’s going to be a very long tournament for us."

SA’s next World Cup match is on Monday against New Zealand.