SA-W vs IRE-W Match 2 Live Commentary - Loughborough (06 June 2026)

OUT! CAUGHT! A fine, fine catch by De Klerk. On a back of a length, on top of off. Arlene Kelly comes forward and tries to tonk it over the long off fielder, but ends up mistiming it off the toe end of the bat. Slices it in the air towards the mentioned position, where Nadine De Klerk runs in a few yards off the ropes and dives forward to scoop the ball before the ground.

Good length, around off, Dempsey cuts it wide of short third for a single.

Outside off, on a length. Ava drags it across to deep mid-wicket for a run.

OUT! CAUGHT! Wicket number 4 for Kapp and another one bites the dust. She spears it fuller and around off. Louise Little charges down the track and looks to launch it over the bowler, but slices it high in the air off the toe end. Tumi Sekhukhune from backward point runs toward her right and takes a sharp catch on her haunches. Ireland Women are 107/8, needing 29 runs.

Length-delivery, on leg, clipped off the pads to deep mid-wicket for a single.

On the stumps, Kelly blocks it out off the back foot.

In the air... DROPPED! Nearly a five-for for Kapp, but Brits is the guilty party. Back of a length, angled in at the bodyline. Arlene Kelly is hurried into the pull shot and top edges it towards deep mid-wicket. Tazmin Brits runs in off the ropes dives forward but spills it in the end. Two taken.

Oh, that's gone all wrong for Kapp. Way down leg, the off cutter, on a length. Arlene Kelly misses to pull and the ball beats the keeper and is chased by the deep fine leg fielder. Two byes taken.

FOUR! Kelly is keeping the fight on for Ireland! Length-delivery, around off, Arlene Kelly jumps out of the crease and smashes it with a flat batted angle, beating mid off to her right for a boundary.

Slanted into the body, short in length. Kelly stands tall and pulls it a bit uppishly to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! And that keeps Ireland in the hunt! Back of a length, sprayed on the pads. Arlene Kelly uses the pace, and pulls it to deep fine leg, finding the gap for a boundary. 33 needed from 17.

Good comeback! Length-delivery, outside off, Arlene Kelly shapes up for a square cut on the off side, but the ball whistles past the outside edge.

A touch full on off, Kelly smashes it down to mid off and sets off for a single. Nadine De Klerk takes her time to aim at the non-striker's end and scores a direct hit, but Kelly is in by then.

A low full toss, outside off, Little cracks it through point. Annerie Dercksen covers a good ground to her left from deep cover and makes a sliding stop to save two runs for her team.

Back of a length, outside off, Little swings hard, only to miss out on the connection.

On a length, on off, Louise Little charges down the track and flat bats it over the bowler. The long on fielder cuts it off to her left. Just a single.

Nice and full, on off, Arlene Kelly drills it down the ground for a single.

Fullish again, on off, Louise Little moves forward and chips it over mid off for a brace.

Hard length, on off, Louise Little taps it to the cover fielder.

Down the leg side, Louise Little looks to flick it but the ball brushes her pads and rolls fine. They collect a leg bye.

Nice and full, on off, Arlene Kelly drives it to cover for a single.

Good length, down leg, Louise Little looks to loft it but wears it on her pads.

SIX! What a strike that is! Tossed up, on off, Louise Little shimmies down the ground and powers it downtown for a biggie.

Slower one, on off, Louise Little blocks it back to the bowler.

Flighted up, on off, Louise Little eases it to cover for a single.

FOUR! That is excellent from Christina Coulter Reilly! Full, on off, Christina Coulter Reilly changes her stance and plays a reverse sweep through backward point for a boundary.

OUT! TIMBER! Nonkululeko Mlaba has the last laugh. Flighted up, on middle and leg, with a hint of turn. Christina Coulter Reilly stays back and looks to flick it but gets beaten on the turn as the ball rattles over the middle pole. A short stay for Christina Coulter Reilly as she makes her way back into the shed.

Much fuller, on off, Arlene Kelly pushes it to cover for a single.

FOUR! Cheeky from Leah Paul! Hard length, on off, Leah Paul shuffles across and scoops it magnificently over short fine leg for a boundary. She latched onto that so quickly.

Angling in, on off, Leah Paul taps it to mid on for a single.

Slows it up, down leg, Louise Little looks to flick it but the ball hits her pads and rolls towards point. They collect a leg bye.

Too full, on middle, Leah Paul eases it to mid on.

A low full toss, on off, Leah Paul knocks it to the fielder at mid off.

OUT! TAKEN! Third wicket for Marizanne Kapp. A fuller one, on middle, Leah Paul changes her stance and looks to play a reverse sweep by taking it on the full, but gets a top edge. The ball lobs in the air towards short third. Nonkululeko Mlaba settles under it and completes the catch. Leah Paul departs after a fine knock, and Ireland Women are 82/6, needing 55 runs from the final 5 overs now.

Short, on leg, Alice Tector heaves it between long on and deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Tossed up, on leg, Alice Tector chips it over mid on for a single.

Much fuller, on leg, Leah Paul taps it to mid on for a single.

OUT! BOWLED! Nonkululeko Mlaba strikes and breaks the 35-run partnership between Tector and Paul. Arm ball, on a length on off, with a hint of turn. Alice Tector goes deep in her crease and looks to work it across, but misses it completely as the ball hits the off pole. Alice Tector's cameo comes to an end. Ireland Women are 74/5, needing 63 runs from 38 balls.

Flatter one, on middle and leg, Louise Little taps it to the right of the bowler for a single.

Flighted up, on off, Leah Paul flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

Good length, on leg, Leah Paul flicks it to square leg and runs for one but Tector sends her back. The fielder throws it towards the keeper who misses a run out attempt as she fails to collect it cleanly.

On a good length, on leg, Leah Paul taps it back to the bowler.

Nice and full, on leg, Leah Paul knocks it down the ground for a single.

Slows it up, on leg, Alice Tector tucks it through square leg for a single.

Angling in, on a length, on leg. Leah Paul turns it to square leg for a single.

Much fuller, on leg, Alice Tector flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Length ball, on the stumps, nudged off the back foot, through mid-wicket for an easy single.

On off, on a fuller length, blocked by Paul watchfully.

 FOUR! Innovative and mighty effective! Full from around the stump, on off, drifting in. Leah gets low on her knee, switches her stance and reverse sweeps it over short third for a boundary.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Leah Paul leans on to block.

In-drifter on a fuller length, on leg. Leah Paul advances down the track and flicks it to Tazmin Brits at mid-wicket who fumbles to pick up and allows a single.

FOUR! Off the edge but Tector will take it! Full and flat, around off. Alice shimmies down the track and tries to push it to mid on, but the ball spins away. Ekes out an outside edge and it runs through short third for a boundary.

Around off, this is worked into the off side for a single.

In line of the stumps, on a good length. Leah Paul works it wide of mid-wicket for a run.

Attacks the pads, full in length, this is clipped off the front foot by Tector, straight to mid-wicket.

Straight down leg, on a length. Alice stands tall and tickles it behind to deep fine leg for a couple of runs.

Short and on middle and leg. Tector rides the bounce and pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

 FOUR! Good intent! Full in length, curving gently into the batter. Tector shimmies down the track a bit and nails the straight drive. Drills it back past the bowler and splits long on and long off fielders for a four.

 Tossed up, turning away, outside off. Tector looks to play at it but misses.

 Gives it air, on off, Tector moves forward and taps it to cover for a single.

 FOUR! Ambitious from Leah Paul! Much fuller, on off, Leah Paul changes her stance and plays a reverse hit through point as the ball races away.

 Short, on middle, Leah Paul tucks it to square leg for a single.

Beaten! An in-dipper on a fuller length, around off. It lands and then spins away sharply. Alana Dalzell is sucked on the front foot to block but gets beaten as the ball spins almost square, past her outside edge.

Full on the pads, flicked through mid-wicket by Alice for a single.

Slower one, on off, Rebecca Stokell taps it to mid on for a single.

Hard length, on leg, Leah Paul flicks it to backward square leg for a single.

OUT! TAKEN! Nadine De Klerk gets the big fish. The short ball does the trick. Nadine De Klerk bangs it short, on off, Rebecca Stokell moves forward and looks to pull it but doesn't get the elevation on it. The ball carries towards deep mid-wicket where Tazmin Brits takes an easy catch near the fence.

 Slower one, on off, Alice Tector blocks it back to the bowler.

 Hard length, on middle and leg, Alice Tector tucks it to mid-wicket for one.

 Angling in, on a length, on off. Leah Paul stays back and defends it solidly.

Too full, on leg, Leah Paul flicks it to square leg for a single.

Back of a length, on leg, Rebecca Stokell looks to pull it but gets a blow on her body.

Follows the batter down leg, Rebecca Stokell looks to slap it but gets a bottom edge as the ball rolls to the left of the keeper. The batters collect a single.

Hard length, on leg, Leah Paul flicks it through square leg for a single.

Good length, on leg, Rebecca Stokell pushes it to mid off for a quick single. The fielder has a shy at the bowler's end but misses.

A wayward bouncer, on off, Leah Paul looks to pull it but misses.

Hard length, width on offer, Leah Paul cuts it to point.

Angling in, on the pads, Leah Paul flicks it through square leg for a single.

Wide! Sways it down leg, Rebecca Stokell looks to flick it but misses.

FOUR! Fine shot! Good length, just outside off, Rebecca Stokell latches onto it and drills it powerfully over the bowler's head for a boundary.

On the pads, fuller in length, Rebecca Stokell turns it to backward square leg for a single.

SIX! A counterattack from Rebecca Stokell! Hard length, on leg, Rebecca Stokell shimmies down the ground, turns it into a half volley, and plunders it over long on for a biggie.

Much fuller, on off, Rebecca Stokell blocks it to mid off.

On a back of a length, slammed hard into the pitch around off. Stokell hangs back and cuts it to the left of cover-point. The fielder dives, makes a half-stop and the backward point fielder backs it up. One taken.

Length-delivery, outside off, Gaby dabs it to backward point with soft hands.

OUT! CLEANED HER UP! The Irish top three do not survive the frontline pace attack of South Africa. Ismail cannons in a length ball that skids through the deck and nips in. This cramps Gaby up for room as she tries to play at it, but is cut in half as the ball sneaks through the bat and pad gap to rattle the stumps behind. And this is a huge wicket as Gaby Lewis departs. Ireland Women are 16/3, needing 121 runs.

Back of a length, just outside off, angling away. Paul taps it off the back foot to backward point for a quick single.

Beaten! Fuller and in the channel on off, straightening off the pitch. Rebecca Stokell stays put with no footwork at all, tries to drive it away through covers, but the ball zips past the outside edge.

FOUR! PUNISHED! Shabnim pulls her length by a couple of yards and angles it on the stumps. Rebecca Stokell advances down the track and spanks it to the right of the mid off fielder and picks up a boundary. Good, positive intent from Rebecca there.

OUT! HIGH UP AND CAUGHT! Kapp strikes once again and Ireland are under pressure already. Full in length, curving away from the batter, on off. Amy Hunter shimmies down the track and perhaps tries to tonk it downtown, but as the ball leaves her, she ends up slicing it in the air over the point fielder. Annerie Dercksen turns around over her right shoulder and runs back a few yards to take a fine catch. Ireland Women are 10/2, needing 127 runs.

Nagging length, on off, punched to cover off the back foot.

Good length, on the stumps, drilled away by Stokell to long on for a single to get off the mark.

Hard length, outside off, stabbed off the back foot to backward point.

Keeps it stump-to-stump, angling it in on a length. Gaby Lewis watchfully blocks it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Exquisite from Lewis! Pitched slightly fuller and just outside the off stump, with a bit of outswing. Gaby Lewis advances down the track, lets the ball curve away from her and lofts it inside out over extra cover for a boundary. Fine shot.

 SIX! Audacious! That's some way to greet a bowler like Ismail. In front of the stumps, on a good length. Amy Hunter picks the length early, shuffles outside off, gets down on a knee and scoops it just over deep fine leg for a six.

Fuller and around off, Hunter blocks it out to the off side.

Full and outside off, shaping away a shy bit. Amy Hunter drills it off the front foot to mid off.

Dishes out a well-directed short ball, nips in on top of off. Amy Hunter arches back and drops her wrists to leave.

Back of a length, just outside off. Hunter opens the bat face, plays it very late, and guides it to deep third for an easy single.

Laser onto the thighs, on a length. Gaby Lewis is cramped up for room. She tries to work it across to the leg side, but gets beaten on the inside edge and is struck just above her right knee roll. That must have stung, given Ismail's pace.

Length-delivery to start with, shaping in a touch from middle to leg. Amy Hunter rocks back and blocks it to mid on.

Hunter and Ireland are off the mark! Back of a length, a lot straighter on the pads. Amy Hunter hops off and steers it to deep square leg for a single.

OUT! EDGED AND CAUGHT BEHIND! Kapp draws first blood in the very first over. Not the best of balls she has bowled. It is on a length, wide outside off, there to be put away, actually. Alana Dalzell does try to smash it through point via square cut, but loosely hangs her bat away from the body with no real conviction, and gets an outside edge. The ball dips on the keeper, but Sinalo Jafta does well to dive to her right and scoop it before the ground. Kapp barely appeals and the umpire raises her finger. A golden duck for Alana Dalzell and Ireland are 1/1, chasing 137.

On a length, outside off, punched away through mid on for a single.

Nagging length, on off, knocked to mid off.

Outside off, on a good length, Hunter dabs it late to deep third for a single.