Cape Town - The fourth women’s One-Day International between the Momentum Proteas and Australia went down to the final ball, ending in a draw at C.ex Coffs International Stadium in Coffs Harbour on Sunday. Australia are 3-0 up in the five-match series.
The Southern Stars set a 243-run target after electing to bat first. Ellyse Perry (69) and Nicole Bolton (63) made the top batting contributions, sharing an 80-run stand for the third wicket, with Alex Blackwell and Elyse Villani chipping in with 35 and 24 runs respectively.
South Africa’s Suné Luus and captain, Dané van Niekerk were the pick of the bowlers taking a respective 4/37 and 3/52 to restrict the hosts to their competitive total.
In their reply, the Proteas lost Lizelle Lee (12) and Lara Goodall (2) in the first eight overs. Luus made 18 and Mignon du Preez only managed five runs before their dismissals in the 11th and 12th overs.
South Africa were in trouble on 40/4 when they were rescued by by a 144-run, fifth-wicket partnership between Player of the Match, van Niekerk (81) and Marizanne Kapp (66). They moved their side to 184/5 before Kapp was run out by Villani in the 42nd. Dinesha Devnarain and Chloe Tryon could only add 13* and 11 respectively, while Odine Kirsten was run out for one and Moseline Daniels was bowled without troubling the scorers.
Jess Jonassen was the leading wicket taker for Australia with 3/37 and, with the assistance of two more run outs, including that of Masabata Klaas off the last delivery of the match, South Africa were denied victory.
The fifth and final ODI will be held at the same venue on Tuesday, 29 November.