England debutants star in Women’s Test before Marizanne Kapp’s 150 helps South Africa fight back | Cricket News

South Africa recover from 45-4 to 284 all out in one-off Test against England as Marizanne Kapp scores 150; England debutants Issy Wong, Lauren Bell, and Alice Davidson-Richards take wickets, while Kate Cross bags 4-63; watch day two on Tuesday on Sky Sports Cricket

Marizanne Kapp rallied South Africa with a superb century after England’s debutants had helped shred the Proteas’ top order on day one of the one-off Women’s Test at Taunton.

Kapp (150 from 213 balls) hit her maiden Test ton, and the fourth by a South African woman in Tests, as the tourists recovered to 284 all out after being reduced to 45-4 by a new-look England attack.

The Proteas were dismissed on the stroke of stumps as Kate Cross, the new leader of the attack now that Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt have retired, picked up the final wicket to end with 4-63.

Fellow pace bowlers Issy Wong (1-54) and Lauren Bell (2-47) made their international bows, filling the spots vacated by Shrubsole and Brunt, and struck once each inside the first 18 overs – another debutant, all-rounder Alice Davidson-Richards (1-39), claimed a wicket later in the day.

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Wong bowled Laura Wolvaardt (16) through the gate with a superb nip-backer, while Bell pinned Lizelle Lee lbw for a duck with one of a number of booming in-swingers she delivered on the day.

« I thought Kapp was absolutely outstanding, » said Cross.

« To say that we’ve not played much Test cricket, I mean it’s probably eight years since they’ve played.

« Just how she manipulated the field, how she manoeuvred others, how she played us, how she managed to keep the strike, it just was like she’s played Test cricket for years, which is just a testament to how good a player she is.

« It was really difficult when she was looking to score and attack and we needed something special to get her out and Tammy (Beaumont) took that catch which was a brilliant one so I thought she had an absolutely outstanding day.

« To score 150 in Test match cricket is pretty special. »

Kapp hits South Africa Women’s highest Test score

Cross and Nat Sciver (1-29) also bagged early wickets as England took charge after electing to bat.

However, Kapp went on to play a fluent and chanceless knock, reaching three figures from 151 deliveries and going on to hit the highest score by a South African woman in Tests, topping the unbeaten 105 Yvonne van Mentz had notched against England in Cape Town in 1961.

The 32-year-old amassed 26 boundaries in total, with coruscating off-side drives a staple of her knock, before she fell to Bell in the evening session as Tammy Beaumont took a leaping catch at mid-off.

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Issy Wong cleaned up Laura Wolvaardt through the gate for her first Test wicket

Kapp put on 72 with Anneke Bosch (30) from 89-5 and then bossed lower-order stands with Nadine de Klerk (9) and Tumi Sekhukhune (9no).

« I was very nervous coming into this game, » said Kapp, who made 19 runs in two innings in her only other Test match against India in 2014.

« Even the warm-up game, my batting played up as if I was playing a T20, so I’m just happy with today.

« When I first started I was very nervous, especially that the first Test match was an absolute nightmare. But I think you just have to focus a bit longer. It’s still cricket. »

England named four Test debutants in total with opening batter Emma Lamb also selected for the first game of the multi-format series, which will also include three one-day internationals and as many T20 internationals.

Lamb was the catcher when Bosch ballooned Sophie Ecclestone (1-33) to point after being undone by some extra bounce, while Davidson-Richards nicked off De Klerk as the South Africa batter chased a wide ball.

Cross shines as leader of England’s attack

Kate Cross celebrates after bowling South Africa opener Andrie Steyn

Senior player Cross picked up the first wicket of the day, castling Andrie Steyn (8) in the fifth over as the opener shouldered arms to a ball that held its line and went on to knock back off stump.

England’s attack enjoyed bowling with the Dukes ball, which was being used in a women’s Test for the first time, with Wong and Bell’s maiden wickets sandwiching Sciver trapping Lara Goodall lbw on review.

Kapp began South Africa’s fightback by sharing a 38-run stand for the fifth wicket with skipper Sune Luus, who continues to captain the Proteas in the absence of the injured Dane Van Niekerk (ankle), only for Luus (27) to then be caught low at slip by Sciver off Cross – the score 89-5 at that stage.

Kapp would not be shifted until late in the day, though, and even then it took a brilliant catch from Beaumont at mid-off after the batter attempted to drive Bell over the top.

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An incredible catch from Tammy Beaumont saw Kapp finally dismissed for 150 at Taunton

Wong also snared a fine grab in the covers during Monday’s play, backpedalling to pluck the ball out of the air with her right hand after Cross induced a leading edge from Sinalo Jafta (4).

Cross polished things off by bowling Nonkululeko Mlaba (8) and it will be over to England’s batters in the morning, with Lamb to open up alongside Beaumont.

Watch the LV= Insurance Test between England and South Africa live on Sky Sports. Coverage begins at 10.30am on Monday on Sky Sports Mix with the first ball at 11am.