Annerie Dercksen stole the spotlight in Colombo with a breathtaking maiden ODI century — the fastest by a South African woman in the format — as South Africa clinched a morale-boosting victory over Sri Lanka in the final league match of the women’s tri-series.
With South Africa already eliminated from the final, they produced their most complete performance of the tournament, racking up their fifth-highest ODI total. Dercksen, who walked in with the team reeling at 85 for 5 after a top-order collapse triggered by 19-year-old offspinner Dewmi Vihanga, turned the tide with a counter-attacking, record-setting innings.
She first steadied the ship alongside Nondumiso Shangase, and then exploded in a 112-run stand off 88 balls with Chloe Tryon — a new South African record for the seventh wicket in women’s ODIs. Dercksen blasted five sixes, including the one that brought up her century, and finished with a dominant 77-run share of the partnership. Tryon added fireworks of her own with a blistering 74 off 51, combining with Nadine de Klerk for 66 more runs in just 30 balls to push South Africa past 300.
Sri Lanka, who had previously chased down a 300-plus score against South Africa, started strongly in pursuit, reaching 160 for 3 by the 30th over. However, their momentum faltered when Ayabonga Khaka dismissed Chamari Athapaththu — who had posted her 17th ODI fifty — and Nilakshika Silva in quick succession.
Then came Tryon’s sensational finish with the ball. She delivered a game-ending hat-trick in the 42nd over, finishing with career-best figures of 5 for 34. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 239 in the 43rd over, handing South Africa a 76-run win.
Vihanga had earlier rattled South Africa with a remarkable five-wicket haul in just her third ODI, but Dercksen’s fearless assault flipped the script. Her hundred made her only the second player in women’s ODI history to score a century while batting at No. 7 or lower — and capped a breakout series that saw her finish as the top run-scorer of the league stage.
With this commanding all-round performance, South Africa signed off from the tri-series on a high, even if they won’t feature in the final.
