Chetty fifty guides SA to win

Trisha Chetty compiled an unbeaten 54-ball 51 to set up South Africa Women's seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka Women in the first T20.

Set a target of 120, South Africa made a brisk start as openers Lizelle Lee and Chetty added 42 in nearly six overs, before Lee was dismissed. Mignon du Preez, the South Africa captain, was run-out for just two, Chetty steadied South Africa, adding 37 and 31 runs for the third and fourth wicket with Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk. Chetty brought up her second T20 fifty off 52 balls as South Africa reached their target with three balls to spare.

Earlier, opener Lasanthi Madushani's maiden T20 fifty anchored the Sri Lanka innings after they were put in to bat. Madushani stitched useful partnerships with Chamari Atapattu and Shashikala Siriwardene. However, South Africa's bowlers struck regularly and the middle order failed to contribute once Siriwardene was dismissed and Sri Lanka posted 119 in their 20 overs.

Chetty was pleased with her knock in this game but has already set her sights on preparing for the Women's World T20 in March next year.

"I'm really happy with the way that I played today," she said. "It's always nice to score runs and to be able to bat through an innings, which is something I have been working on. I still have a long way to go, though, if I want to be a better player. I think the team did a really good job, but we all still have a few things to work on before we can call ourselves World Cup ready."

Siriwardena, meanwhile, admitted that the side was 20 runs short. "Considering that we could have made another 40 runs after the 15-over mark, I'm disappointed we didn't get there," she said. "I thought we could have got 140 plus if we had started hitting bigger shots, but unfortunately for us we didn't. I think we have adjusted well enough to the South African conditions now and we will do our best to win one match before we go home."