South Africa Women vs Ireland Women 3rd ODI Match Overview

The South Africa Women versus Ireland Women 3rd ODI went down at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on December 19, 2025. It was a day-night game and the last one of Ireland Women’s tour of South Africa. South Africa was looking to wrap things up with a clean sweep. Ireland Women batted first after winning the toss and put up a decent score, but South Africa Women came out on top, chasing it down pretty easily.

What Happened in Ireland Women’s Innings

Ireland Women started out playing it safe, but had a hard time getting any real momentum going in the middle overs. Gaby Lewis was the rock for her team, scoring a solid 64 off 80 balls. She played some nice shots and kept things steady when wickets were falling around her. Christina Coulter Reilly also added a careful 37, which helped Ireland get to a reasonable total.

Still, Ireland’s middle order couldn’t really take advantage of the start the top order gave them. They kept losing wickets, which slowed down the scoring, and the team ended up getting bowled out for 205 in 45.2 overs. Nonkululeko Mlaba was the best bowler for South Africa, grabbing four wickets and keeping the pressure on the Irish batters. Tumi Sekhukhune also did her part, taking two wickets and bowling tight.

How South Africa Women Bowled

South Africa Women bowled well and kept it tight the whole time. Nonkululeko Mlaba was accurate and mixed things up, which was tough for the Irish batters. She ended up with great numbers – 4 for 33. She kept breaking up partnerships, so Ireland could never really get comfortable. Tumi Sekhukhune and Sune Luus also bowled well, picking up some important wickets and not giving away easy runs.

The bowlers did their job and kept Ireland to a lower score than they would have liked, especially with the good batting conditions in Johannesburg. This made it easier for South Africa to chase.

South Africa Women’s Chase

South Africa Women had a good start chasing 206. Tazmin Brits came out swinging, scoring 26 off just 21 balls before getting out. After that, it was all about captain Laura Wolvaardt. She was calm and played a great innings, finishing unbeaten on 100 off 93 balls.

Wolvaardt played the perfect ODI innings, mixing patience with some aggressive shots. She found the gaps, rotated the strike, and put away the bad balls. She had some good partnerships that kept South Africa ahead of the required run rate the whole time.

Middle Order Support and Taking Control

While Wolvaardt was holding down one end, the middle order chipped in with some useful runs. Karabo Meso and Sune Luus kept the score moving. Even when a couple of quick wickets fell, South Africa never looked worried. Dane van Niekerk and Faye Tunnicliffe finished the job, guiding the team to the target.

Ireland’s bowlers tried to fight back, with Arlene Kelly and Aimee Maguire each taking two wickets. But they couldn’t keep the pressure on, and South Africa won pretty easily in just 32.2 overs, winning by six wickets with loads of balls to spare.

Laura Wolvaardt Shines

Laura Wolvaardt was clearly the star of the match and the whole series. Her unbeaten ton was a perfect ODI innings, showing how well she can pace an innings. She also took three good catches in the field, showing she can do it all.

Wolvaardt ended the series as the top scorer with 255 runs and won both Player of the Match and Player of the Series. Her consistent performance and leadership were big reasons why South Africa won the series 3-0.

What the Conditions Were Like

The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg was good for batting, with the ball coming onto the bat nicely. Ireland managed to put up a score, but South Africa knew the conditions well and played better. The evening conditions also helped the chasing team.

Series Result

South Africa Women won the series 3-0 against Ireland Women. The series showed South Africa’s strength and consistency in all areas. Ireland showed some potential, especially through Gaby Lewis and some good spells of bowling, but they just weren’t strong enough to beat South Africa.

Ireland Women got some good experience playing a strong team. South Africa Women’s clean sweep shows they are a force to be reckoned with in women’s cricket.

In Conclusion

The 3rd ODI was a great end to the series, with Laura Wolvaardt playing an amazing innings. South Africa Women were in control from start to finish, with good bowling and a confident chase. South Africa will be feeling good heading into their next games, while Ireland will try to learn from this tour.

Match Details

• Venue: The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

• Toss: Ireland Women elected to bat first

• Series: Ireland Women tour of South Africa

• Season: 2025/26

• Player of the Match: Laura Wolvaardt (SA Women)

• Player of the Series: Laura Wolvaardt (SA Women)

• Series Result: South Africa Women won the 3-match series 3-0

• Match Number: WODI no. 1523

• Hours of Play (Local Time): Start 13:00, First Session 13:00–16:10, Interval 16:10–16:40, Second Session 16:40–20:10

• Match Day: 19 December 2025 – Day/Night (50-over match)

• Umpires: Lauren Agenbag (South Africa), Vrinda Rathi (India)

• TV Umpire: Stacy Lackay (South Africa)

• Reserve Umpire: Kerrin Klaaste (South Africa)

• Match Referee: Shaid Wadvalla (South Africa)