Laura Wolvaardt claims record of youngest South African centurion

A new South African record was created when their eves took the field in the third ODI against Ireland Women yesterday at Dublin. When Laura Wolvaardt struck a match winning 105 while opening the batting for South Africa, she became the youngest cricketer from her nation – male or female – to score a hundred in international cricket.

Johmari Logtenberg was the previous record holder for South Africa when she stroked a ton aged 17 years and 338 days against Pakistan Women in an ODI at Pretoria back in 2007. Wolvaardt however, by virtue of being 223 days younger than Johmari and a full two years younger than Graeme Pollock, claimed the record with her seamless ton. Pollock incidentally holds the record for the youngest male centurion for South Africa.

As South Africa won the toss and elected to bat in the third ODI against the Irish eves, Wolvaardt took strike and began her innings with consecutive boundaries in the fourth over. She got to 50 off just 51 balls while striking nine boundaries. There were enough indications that this was to be a special day for the South African opener as she steadied her innings thereafter. Her 13th boundary got her to 99 and she sprinted a couple in subsequent deliveries to bring up her maiden ODI hundred.

Wolvaardt shared an opening stand of 192 with Trisha Chetty as South Africa put up a formidable 260 on the board off their alloted 50 overs. In response, Ireland Women buckled for 193 in 45 overs. Leg-spinner Sune Luus was the destroyer-in-chief for South Africa as she returned figures of 5/32. This was her second five-for in three matches. South Africa has dominated this four-match ODI series against Ireland and lead the hosts 3-0.

While Wolvaardt now sits proudly atop the list of youngest international centurions in South African cricket, the world record for the youngest woman to score an international hundred belongs to India’s Mithali Raj. Incidentally, it was the Irish women again who had to bear the brunt of young Raj’s strokeplay back in 1999 at Milton Keynes. The current Indian skipper was all of 16 years and 205 days when she struck a brilliant 114 not out to lead her side to a 161 run win over Ireland that day.