Dane van Niekerk produces captain's display as South Africa serve notice of full potential

WOMEN'S T20 WORLD CUP PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY: South Africa had never beaten England at the tournament until Sunday. They were indebted to their captain as that record disappeared in Perth

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First, let’s recognise Mignon du Preez – not only for her six-hitting exploits that won South Africa a game they briefly appeared to be throwing away, but for her longevity.

She heads an elite list of 12 South Africans to have mustered fifty or more T20I caps for the Proteas. The 30-year-old, however, is the first to reach three figures. Behind her, Shabnim Ismail is closest to replicating the feat, followed by JP Duminy, Dane van Niekerk, AB de Villiers and Marizanne Kapp. All are in fine company.

And while it is a mightily fine achievement, du Preez merely put the finishing touches on a display fashioned by van Niekerk, the captain who, with a full strength side to pick from and a powerful top seven to complement a fine bowling attack, might just believe that the tools are there for a tilt at a T20 World Cup crown.

South Africa’s historic record in the competition is remarkably underwhelming; for a squad so strong, this was just their ninth win in seven tournaments.

And they were taken to victory by van Niekerk, in combination with Kapp. After winning the toss and opting for a chase, almost all that the South African skipper attempted came off. Even if the decision to hand left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba the new ball backfired – Amy Jones struck her for successive boundaries, it was a move made with sound logic behind it.

Jones had been dismissed twice by Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the powerplay during the recent tri-series with India and Australia. But having reverted to her seamers, they dismissed both openers in quick succession, before van Niekerk introduced her leg-breaks.

^{Van Niekerk made 46 with the bat after taking two wickets with the ball}

Since England arrived on Australian soil, Heather Knight has been their form player. But she was undone by her opposite number here, failing to clear Ismail on the boundary, having run around from long-on to take a terrific catch. Fran Wilson would soon follow in similar circumstances, but only after van Niekerk had built an insurmountable pressure on the right-hander. Knowing Wilson’s propensity to sweep, intelligent fields were set – van Niekerk was the only bowler on either side not to concede a boundary.

With the bat, she was equally dominant – an outrageous flick over midwicket for a 78m six a memorable highlight.

After losing Lizelle Lee early on – she had clearly been given license to attack the powerplay while van Niekerk ticked along, Kapp entered the fray.

The pair put together a stand of 84 in 13 overs to take their side close, before du Preez, on her day – she led South Africa onto the field ahead of the national anthems at the beginning of the match, saw the Proteas to a superb win.

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