England outplay Proteas Women but lack of Decision Review System in Test is under the spotlight

Marizanne Kapp of South Arica Women during day 2 of the Only Women?s Test between South Africa and England at Mangaung Oval on December 16, 2024 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo by Charle Lombard/Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

18 Dec 2024

Cricket South Africa elected to not implement the Decision Review System in South Africa’s Test match against England, a decision that has come back to bite the side.

The Proteas women were comprehensively outplayed by England in their one-off Test match in Bloemfontein, falling by 286-runs on day three on Tuesday, 17 December 2024.

A few South African players can, however, feel hard done by over some decisions going against them during the three-days of action at the Mangaung Oval.

The result of the match would probably not have changed, had the errors not been made, given that the home side capitulated for 64 runs in their final batting innings, but the margin of defeat would certainly have been affected.

As a cost-cutting measure, Cricket South Africa elected to not implement the Decision Review System (DRS) for the one-off Test match, a choice that came back to bite the side.

While the marginal wrong decisions could be excused, the inexperienced on-field umpires, both standing in their first Test match, made three glaring errors — with no way of having them rectified — each going against South Africa.

In South Africa’s first batting innings, skipper Laura Wolvaardt was cruising along on 65 off 147 deliveries before being trapped leg before wicket by Sophie Ecclestone.

The problem was that Wolvaardt got a massive inside edge before the ball hit her front pad.

As Ecclestone and the rest of the English army appealed, Wolvaardt immediately shook her head and raised her bat, seemingly indicating that it had hit her bat.

Nonetheless, umpire Kerrin Klaaste raised her finger. It evoked a reaction from the usually cool South African captain that has rarely been seen before as she seethed while walking off the field, looking back in disgust and mumbling what can only be assumed to be expletives.

Wolvaardt was reprimanded and deducted one demerit point by the International Cricket Council for the incident for “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match”.

It was a massive wicket in the context of the match, with England having declared on 395 and South Africa chasing their way back into the match, led by their best batter in Wolvaardt.

Half-centuries from Suné Luus and Marizanne Kapp aided the Proteas’ ambitions of gaining a lead, but South Africa’s fragile batting line-up fell apart after that with the last six batters only mustering 36 runs between them, with the team dismissed for 281 runs.

No luck

There were two other howlers in the match. Kapp had England opener Tammy Beaumont trapped LBW with the second delivery of the match.

It could not have been more out, yet the opener survived the appeal and while only contributing 21 runs, she did help see off the new ball, eating up 36 deliveries, making the conditions easier for century-makers Maia Bouchier (126) and Natalie Sciver-Brunt (128).

Kapp, though, was very diplomatic in her assessment of decisions going against her side.

“We’re probably disappointed we were on the wrong side of it, but it goes both ways,” she said. “That’s just the game. It’s never easy for the umpires out there. Even though you get upset when it doesn’t go your way, it’s still a hard job for them to be correct every time.”

Annerie Dercksen of the Proteas Women during day 3 at Mangaung Oval . (Photo: Charle Lombard / Gallo Images)

The third incident happened on the final day on Tuesday when a Lauren Bell inswinger clattered into first drop Annerie Dercksen’s pads, and was caught at short-leg by Beaumont.

After some deliberation and the decision being sent upstairs, seemingly to check the catch — which was taken at shoulder height — Klaaste’s finger was raised for a third contentious decision despite Dercksen’s bat being nowhere close to the ball.

Marizanne Kapp of South Arica during day 2 at Mangaung Oval. (Photo: Charle Lombard / Gallo Images)

It’s hard to lay the blame on the inexperienced Klaaste, who would under any other circumstances be bailed out by the DRS

“I was pretty shocked when I found out in the umpire’s meeting the day before (the first day), that we weren’t going to have it,” England skipper Heather Knight said after the match, referring to the DRS.

“I think it’s a real shame. You come to expect it as a player now, and I guess the reason is always money. But, particularly in Test cricket, where wickets are such a premium, it’s a really important thing to have. It’s probably a sign of the status of this game, maybe, that we didn’t have it, which is a bit frustrating.”

Money problems

DRS costs about US$48,500 (R880,000) or $12,100 per day for a Test match.

Cricket South Africa decided to have DRS in the six prior white-ball matches against England instead of the Test match, a decision Kapp wasn’t too unhappy about.

“It’s a new thing that we have DRS available,” she said. “I don’t believe we’ve had it available for T20s and ODI cricket.

“It’s really helped in the ODI and T20 series, and if I have to be completely honest I’d probably prefer having it in those two formats.”

Prior to the Test match, Director of National Teams and High Performance, Enoch Nkwe, explained the rationale behind the decision to ESPNcricinfo.

“While the development of the red-ball format is important, it is worth noting that resources are currently being directed at the white-ball formats due to the significance of ODI and T20I cricket in the current women’s international cricket landscape,” he said.Why DRS is an either-or situation in red-ball versus white-ball women’s cricket is not clear. DM

Categories:

Tags:

DM is much better if you are signed in...

South Africa

No luck

Money problems