Lee fifty sets up big SA win

South Africa opener Lizelle Lee hit her maiden Twenty20 half-century to set the foundation of a strong win against Ireland in the PCB Qatar Women's 20-over Tri-series in Doha. The 46-run win helped South Africa catch up with Ireland and Pakistan on the points table.

South Africa were put into bat but unlike their first match against Pakistan, their openers delivered a strong start this time. Lee served up a statement of intent in the first over smashing Louise McCarthy for a six. There weren't many boundaries after that but the two batsmen kept picking up singles to bring up the team's 50 in the in the 10th over.

Trisha Chetty was dismissed in the 13th over after a 61-run opening stand but Lee continued pushing along. She brought up her half-century with a boundary in the 17th over but was out two balls later. Marizanne Kapp and Mignon du Preez then took 29 runs off the last three overs to help South Africa to 119.

In response, Ireland lost their openers within the first five overs and never really recovered from there. Then Dane van Niekerk struck thrice in her first three overs to leave Ireland reeling on 47 for 6 after 13 overs. They managed another 26 runs in the next seven overs, but the heavy loss meant they slipped below South Africa in the table with a poorer net run-rate.

"It was tough losing our first game yesterday," Mignon du Preez, the South Africa captain, said. "We faced tough competition from a tough opponent and were found lacking on the day. Today, we were out to prove a point to ourselves and we stepped out of the shadow of the loss. I'm very proud of the way the team picked itself up and went on with business as usual. Wednesday, it's going to be another big day for us, but we'll do our best to finish the day unbeaten."

Pakistan Women 132 for 5 (Abidi 56) beat Ireland Women 111 for 5 (Tice 44*, Jalil 2-14, Dar 2-22) by 21 runs
Scorecard

Ireland Women fell to the bottom of the table with their second loss of the day, to Pakistan Women, as they fell short of their target of 133 by 21 runs. An unbeaten 44 from Elena Tice went in vain as she didn't get much support from the other batsmen.

Put in to bat, Pakistan opening stand was broken in the fifth over which was followed by a partnership of 41 between Nain Abidi and Sidra Ameen. There were no substantial partnerships in the innings but Abidi's stay till the end with her 58-ball 56 propelled Pakistan to a competitive 132. She was dismissed on the last ball of the innings and Tice conceded only 19 runs in her four overs.

Ireland were jolted early when their openers fell in the first seven balls of the innings, and No. 4 Emma Flanagan was dismissed in the fourth over to leave the score at 16 for 3. Qanita Jalil had taken two of the first three wickets. Isobel Joyce and Tice put them back on track with a stand of 46 which was broken in the 13th over by Nida Dar. Ireland then needed another 70 from 47 deliveries. But Dar struck again and left them at a precarious 78 for 5 with an equation of 55 required from 30.

Tice stayed till the end but the Pakistan bowlers did not concede a single boundary in the last seven overs which left Ireland on 111 for 5 in the end.