Women's Tri Nation Series: Jemimah’s ton helps India set up final against Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: Riding on Jemimah Rodrigues' career-best century and half-tons from opener Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, India defeated a fighting South Africa by 23 runs to set up a title clash with Sri Lanka in the women's Tri-Nation ODI series here on Wednesday.

Rodrigues' blazing 123 off 101 balls, laced with 15 fours and a six, saw India post a huge 337 for 9 before the bowlers, led by pacer seamer Amanjot Kaur (3/59) and off-spinner Deepti Sharma (2/57) restricted the opponents to 314/7. This despite Annerie Dercksen's fine 81-run knock and stand-in skipper Chloe Tryon's 67.

India ended their round-robin phase with six points from four games. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has four points from three games and could garner two more points if they beat South Africa on Friday.

South Africa, after losing three consecutive games, is out of contention even though they have a match to go against Sri Lanka on Friday.

India's batting prowess came to the fore once again as they posted a 300-plus total with 24-year-old Jemimah anchoring the team's innings with her second ODI hundred.

She shared two vital partnerships — an 88-run stand off 99 balls with opener Smriti Mandhana (51) and a 122-run partnership off 115 balls with Deepti Sharma (93), who missed out on a ton by seven runs.

Rodrigues was finally dismissed in the 43rd over caught at point while trying to hit over the offside.

The success did bring cheers to the South African camp but the euphoria was short-lived as all-rounder Deepti took over and played a classy 84-ball innings, studded with 10 boundaries and two sixes.

Deepti was the eighth Indian batter to be dismissed but by the time she departed, with just one delivery remaining, she had done the damage.

For South Africa, seamer Masabata Klaas (2/51), Nadine de Klerk (2/54), and left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba (2/71) were the pick of the bowlers.

With a massive run-chase staring at them, South Africa lost opener Lara Goodall (7) in the second over. But Tazmin Brits (26) and Miane Smit (39) repaired the damage somewhat with a 63-run partnership for the second wicket as the opponents reached 70/2 by the 15th over.

But with India skipper Harmanpreet tactfully utilising her bowling resources, South African batters found it tough to go for the big hits, scoring most of their runs in ones and twos.

BRIEF SCORES: India: 337/9 in 50 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 123, Deepti Sharma 93, Smriti Mandhana 51) beat South Africa 314/7 in 50 overs (Annerie Dercksen 81, Chloe Tryon 67, Amanjot Kaur 3/59)