South Africa's emerging star, Annerie Dercksen, slammed her maiden century as South Africa found itself in a good position against the hosts Sri Lanka in the final group game of the tri-nations series in Colombo, scoring 315/9 after being put in to bat first. Dercksen, who was the women's emerging player of the year, slammed the fastest ODI century for a Proteas woman, off just 81 balls, surpassing Marizanne Kapp's feat of 85 deliveries in the format.
Dercksen found herself in the middle of a storm when South Africa had collapsed to 85/5 despite a good start from the openers as the 19-year-old off-spinner Dwmi Vihanga ran through the top and the middle order. Vihanga ended up with figures of 5/43 as he became the youngest to take a five-wicket haul for Sri Lanka in ODIs.
It seemed like the whole South African side could fold inside 200 but Dercksen and Chloe Tryon's repair act was fearless and aggressive as the duo stitched a 112-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Dercksen completed her maiden ton while Tryon smashed a quickfire fifty.
The 24-year-old got out immediately after her century but made sure that South Africa were on course for a par score. Tryon found an able ally in Nadine de Klerk, who scored a 19-ball 32 to push the visitors' score beyond 300.
Fastest century for South Africa women in ODIs
81 balls - Annerie Dercksen vs SL (Colombo, 2025)
85 balls - Marizanne Kapp vs IND (Bengaluru, 2024)
87 balls - Mignon du Preez vs IRE (Dublin, 2016)
Skipper Chamari Athapaththu scored a run-a-ball fifty to help Sri Lanka stay in the chase but losing six wickets before breaching the 200-mark is likely to prove to be expensive with the hosts staring at their second loss of the group stage, before taking on India in the final as the Proteas eye a consolation win.