Wolvaardt trusts Proteas Women to bounce back

PROTEAS Women skipper Laura Wolvaardt refused to blame the wicket for the thumping 10-wicket loss in their World Cup opener against England in Guwahati, India, yesterday.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

ENGLAND captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (centre) speaks during the toss as her South Africa counterpart Laura Wolvaardt (left) watches before the start of their ICC Women's Cricket World Cup match that the Proteas lost by a whooping 10 wickets at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati yesterday. | AFP

(AFP)

The South Africans were unable to recover from an early batting collapse and stumbled to 69 all out in the 21st over after they were put in to bat first. England cruised to the total in the 15th over.

World Cup debutant Linsey Smith was England's destroyer-in-chief with 3/7, as the SA batters struggled to cope with the drift from the spinner who opened the bowling alongside Lauren Bell.

"I wouldn't put it down to the toss. I think there was a lot of swing around early," Wolvaardt said in her post-match media conference.

"I think Linsey Smith was excellent with the new ball. I think it was just one of those days with the bat where the top order and middle order failed on the same day."