van Niekerk fires Lightning to Finals Day
Fri 12 Aug 2016
A fine all-round performance from Loughborough Lightning secured a 34-run over Surrey Stars and a place in the Kia Super League Finals Day.
The star of the match was South African international Dane van Nierkerk who scored 91 runs - the highest score in the competition - alongside taking two wickets, two catches and running out Surrey’s Tammy Beaumont.
In front of a crowd of nearly 600 spectators at Loughborough University the visitors won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Lightning were keen to impose themselves from the off, with captain Georgia Elwiss smashing a six off the third ball of the innings, followed up with a four off the bowling of Laura Marsh.
But it was to be opening partner van Niekerk who was to play the dominant role with some fine stroke play, including three fours off Stars captain Natalie Sciver’s first over.
More fours from van Niekerk off the bowling of her South African colleague Marizanne Kapp saw Lightning reach 45-0 at the end of the powerplay, and the fifty partnership followed in the seventh over thanks to a four from Elwiss.
Alex Hartley was brought on by Stars to stem to tide but a huge six from van Niekerk, bouncing off the sightscreen, kept Lightning in the ascendancy. Hartley then made the breakthrough in the 10th over, with Elwiss caught in the deep by Beth Morgan for 22.
But van Niekerk, supported by Sophie Devine, reached her 50 off 41 balls with Lightning on 79-1 off 11 overs.
The hundred for Lightning was reached in the 14th over and van Niekerk raced to 81 with a six and four off the bowling of Rene Farrell. Devine chased a wide ball from Lea Tahuhu and edged to Beaumont for 16.
Ellyse Perry came to the crease and hit two beautifully timed fours to put Lightning on 137-2.
van Niekerk looked set for the first century of the tournament but was to be denied, being caught in the deep by Sciver off the bowling of Kapp for 91.
Lightning started to lose wickets as they chased more runs but two enormous sixes from Perry (28 not out) ensured Lightning set a total of 168-6.
In reply Stars started brightly with openers Beaumont and Bryony Smith scoring eight off the first over from Beth Langston.
Lightning were not to be denied and van Niekerk broke the deadlock by removing Smith cheaply thanks to fine stumping from ‘keeper Amy Jones.
van Niekerk was again in the thick of action with her next over removing Cordelia Griffith caught and bowled to leave Stars reeling on 25-2.
University graduates Sciver and Beaumont together came together at the crease and 13 runs off the seventh over pushed Stars to 45-2. But Elwiss made the vital breakthrough when Sciver (12) top edged to Becky Grundy.
Stars looked to press ahead before van Niekerk produced a fine throw to run out key player Beaumont for 27 - going for a second run.
Lightning were now on top and Langston returned to the attack with devastating effect, clean bowling Sophia Dunkley and Kapp in the 10th over.
Rene Farrell and Morgan looked to build a partnership with some big blows, but Perry clean bowled Farrell to leave Stars on 81-7. Devine then claimed the wicket of Morgan thanks to a smart catch from Thea Brookes.
Tahuhu was next to fall thanks to a brilliant catch from player of the match van Niekerk. Marsh showed great resistance, but when she was caught by Amy Jones in the final over Lightning claimed a fine victory and a place in the Kia Super League Finals Day.
After her incredible all-round performance Dane van Niekerk said: “It’s always nice to contribute. I’m glad I did it in the middle with the bat, I’ve been struggling for form – I was just lucky today, I guess.
“It was a really good track, I just felt I had to take my time a bit more. I didn’t give myself a chance in the previous game and I just felt like if I gave myself a bit of time on that wicket then I’d be able to cash in and that’s what I did.
“We have a lot of match-winners in our side and that’s a very good thing. We’re an all-round very good side, everyone contributes all the time and it’s exciting to be in the first Kia Super League Finals Day.”
Lightning are back in action in the Kia Super League away against Southern Vipers on Sunday before heading to Chelmsford on Finals Day on Sunday 21 August.
