It was an inning that her Proteas women so keenly anticipated. It was an inning that finally came though not without pressure almost getting the better of the hosts. There are fifties being struck nearly every single game in a T20 match. There are fifties hit during high pressure situations. But when you strike a much-needed one in the final game of a decisive encounter, the effort stands out.
As it did for Chloe Tryon, the vice-captain of the current Proteas women’s outfit!
Truth be told, the contest could simply have gone either side’s way. You couldn’t tell by the looks of it that India women’s 110-run ask of their Protean counterparts would’ve led to some berserk batting during as it transpired during the run chase.
But when the Protea top order, including Laura Wolvaardt, Lara Goodall and Tazmin Brits perished with no more than just 21 runs on the board, you could tell India under Harmanpreet Kaur sensed their chance.
Though the ball was still coming nicely onto the bat on a wicket that looked as if it had ample runs on offer, the batters did certainly scamper for runs. The India spinners, including Sneh Rana and Rajeshwari Gayakwad nicely tossed it up, luring thus into the trap of one big heave too many accomplished scorers such as Wolvaardt and Goodall.
They are, however, both good players of spin, but on this occasion, they just couldn’t do much- could they?
Though there was a momentary relief of sorts when Luus danced down the track and lifted a spinner straight down the ground to collect her first boundary. But as they say, you live by the sword and you perish by it; the South African captain departing without troubling the scorers much, scoring a near run a ball 12, not more.
But gladly for South Africa, still reeling at 47 for 4 in the eleventh over, their deputy Chloe Tryon was up for the job. A good batter always likes a challenge and with spinners ruling the roost or so it seemed, Chloe Tryon acted the perfect antidote to India’s hopes of clinching a win that did seem likely, at least, at that point in time.
In the end, finishing with a dominant 57 and taking just 32 deliveries to get the job done, Chloe Tryon saved her Protea outfit.
There’s really no other way you could put it. Blessed with power and the gift of finding the gaps on either side of the wicket, the lanky right-hander did reduce the final of the keenly-watched tri-series into an exhibition of beautiful hitting.
What’s more?
In her unbeaten effort, the right-hander struck what became her first ever T20I fifty and boy, what a tome to bring it up?
It just seemed as though the final equation became India women versus Chloe Tryon with the latter drilling into India’s successful spinners awesome hits, some that just tossed over the boundary rope without much ado.
Clean striking and a strike rate of 178- let that sink in- indeed demonstrated the ability to score in fours and sixes was what stood out in the end.
Chloe Tryon notched up what could, arguably speaking, be considered her best T20 international knock as on date. and let it be noted that the smiling batter has been representing the Proteas in international cricket since 2010.
With the 2023 T20 Women’s World Cup just around the corner, what bigger positive could the Sune Luus-led side ask at a time where there’s no Mignon du Preez, Lizelle Lee and Dane van Niekerk in the side?
Time to go big in the big stage, Chloe?