Brits, Bosch help South Africa post 177-6 against India in 2nd T20I

CHENNAI: Tazmin Brits made a measured fifty as South Africa overcame some mid-innings jitters to post a challenging 177 for six against India in the second Women's T20 International here on Sunday.

Brits (52 off 39 balls) received solid support from Anneke Bosch (40 off 32 balls) as the Proteas racked up their second-highest T20I total against India after rain delayed the start of the match by 15 minutes.

Openers Laura Wolvaardt (22 off 12 balls) and Brits were involved in a 42-run opening stand before pacer Pooja Vastrakar got rid of the former in the fifth over.

Brits would have been dismissed in the second over but she survived a stumping after debutant wicketkeeper Uma Chetry's gloves had marginally come ahead of the stumps while collecting the delivery from Sajana Sajeevan.

In the company of Marizanne Kapp (20 off 14 balls), Brits continued her brisk scoring ways as they put up 66 runs during the powerplay.

However, the 32-run partnership ended when Kapp was dismissed by Deepti Sharma.

Having maintained a scoring rate of 10-plus in the opening six overs, SA's run-rate dipped to eight an over post Kapp's dismissal and the pitch too offered some bounce and mild turn.

While Brits brought up her 11th T20I half-century, she failed to push her stand with Bosch going beyond 38, falling to Deepti in the 14th over, with the score reading 113 for three.

The experienced Chloe Tryon could not contribute much, falling to Radha Yadav in the 16th over for 12.

The Indian bowlers, especially the spinners, were barely giving the South Africans any room to bat freely, forcing them to use the sweep shots quite often.

Bosch attacked during the death overs, but perished to Shreyanka Patil in the 19th over at the score of 164 for five.

Vastrakar bowled the final over and got rid of Nadine de Klerk (14 off 9 balls), but Jemimah Rodrigues dropped the chance to dismiss Annerie Dercksen (12 not out) for which she made the Indians pay, striking three fours in a row off the last three balls of SA innings.

Vastrakar and Deepti claimed two wickets each for the hosts.