Sheila Nefdt
Encyclopedia
Sheila Nefdt or Sheelagh Nefdt is a former South Africa
Test cricket
er. She captained South Africa in all four matches of their debut series in Women's Test cricket
against England in 1960–61. She played provincial cricket for Western Province, and in 1953–54, she made the first recorded hattrick in South African women's cricket at Cape Town, actually taking a double hattrick. Western Province went on to win the Simon Trophy
that season, as they had in the two previous to it.
in the first Test, scoring 24 runs in the first-innings before being stumped. For the second-innings, she dropped herself one place down the batting order, to allow Eileen Hurly
, scorer of 96* in the first-innings to come in ahead of her. Hurly, however, was run out for just 38, while Nefdt made 62 before declaring
the innings with South African leading by 284 runs. Nefdt bowled 16 overs between the two innings, claiming the wicket of Anne Sanders
in the first, and Rachael Heyhoe
in the second.
In the second Test, after England won the toss and scored 351, Nefdt and her South Africa team scored slowly, a first-innings 134 taking 95 overs, with Nefdt contributing 8 to the score. Similar slow scoring in the second innings helped South Africa force the draw, still trailing by 77 runs with eight wickets down in their second innings following on
when the match finished.
The third Test again saw South Africa dismissed cheaply twice. A 55-run fourth-wicket partnership in the first-innings between Nefdt and Hurly, and an 83-run fifth-wicket partnership between Nefdt and Barbara Cairncross
in the second were the only highlights in a match that South Africa lost by eight wickets. Nefdt scored her second half-century in Test cricket during the second-innings, top-scoring among the South Africans with 68.
Nefdt fell for a duck
in the first-innings of the final Test in Cape Town
, a pitch that saw high-scoring innings from Ruth Westbrook
and Helen Sharpe
for England, while Yvonne van Mentz
scored South Africa's first century in Test cricket. Promoting herself to open in the second-innings, Nefdt added 11 to the score before being caught and bowled by Anne Sanders for the second time in the match.
South African women's cricket team
The South Africa national women's cricket team is the team that represents the country of South Africa in international women's cricket matches. The South African women's cricket team is an amateur team, with players required to take time away from their full-time jobs to represent their country...
Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
er. She captained South Africa in all four matches of their debut series in Women's Test cricket
Women's Test cricket
Women's Test cricket is the longest format of women's cricket and is the gender equivalent to men's Test cricket. Matches comprise four-innings and are held over a maximum of four days between two of the leading cricketing nations...
against England in 1960–61. She played provincial cricket for Western Province, and in 1953–54, she made the first recorded hattrick in South African women's cricket at Cape Town, actually taking a double hattrick. Western Province went on to win the Simon Trophy
Simon Trophy
The Simon Trophy was a South African women's cricket club cup trophy, awarded annually to the Annual Inter Provincial Tournament champions. The trophy was presented to the Southern Transvaal Association by Tilly Mary Simon to hand over to the South African Association upon its formation. It was...
that season, as they had in the two previous to it.
Test career
She was named captain of the South African squad to play the touring English women in 1960–61. Nefdt batted at number fiveBatting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
in the first Test, scoring 24 runs in the first-innings before being stumped. For the second-innings, she dropped herself one place down the batting order, to allow Eileen Hurly
Eileen Hurly
Eileen Mary Ann Hurly is a former Southern Transvaal and South Africa cricketer. She played in South Africa's first four Test matches, scoring 240 runs including a top-score of 96 not out in the first Test against England...
, scorer of 96* in the first-innings to come in ahead of her. Hurly, however, was run out for just 38, while Nefdt made 62 before declaring
Declaration and forfeiture
In the sport of cricket a declaration occurs when a captain declares his team's innings closed and a forfeiture is when a captain chooses to forfeit an innings. Declaration and forfeiture are covered in Law 14 of the Laws of cricket...
the innings with South African leading by 284 runs. Nefdt bowled 16 overs between the two innings, claiming the wicket of Anne Sanders
Anne Sanders
Elizabeth Anne Sanders is a former cricketer who played 11 Test matches for the England women's cricket team between 1954 and 1968/69. An off-spin bowler she took 32 wickets at an average of 16.62.-References:...
in the first, and Rachael Heyhoe
Rachael Heyhoe-Flint
Rachael Heyhoe Flint, Baroness Heyhoe-Flint, OBE, DL is probably the best known female cricketer in England. She was a member of the English women's cricket team from 1960 to 1982. She was captain of England from 1966 to 1978, and was unbeaten in six Test series...
in the second.
In the second Test, after England won the toss and scored 351, Nefdt and her South Africa team scored slowly, a first-innings 134 taking 95 overs, with Nefdt contributing 8 to the score. Similar slow scoring in the second innings helped South Africa force the draw, still trailing by 77 runs with eight wickets down in their second innings following on
Follow-on
Follow-on is a term used in the sport of cricket to describe a situation where the team that bats second is forced to take its second batting innings immediately after its first, because the team was not able to get close enough to the score achieved by the first team batting in the first innings...
when the match finished.
The third Test again saw South Africa dismissed cheaply twice. A 55-run fourth-wicket partnership in the first-innings between Nefdt and Hurly, and an 83-run fifth-wicket partnership between Nefdt and Barbara Cairncross
Barbara Cairncross
Barbara Cairncross is a former Southern Transvaal and South Africa cricketer. She played in South Africa's first three Test matches, scoring 65 runs in her six innings....
in the second were the only highlights in a match that South Africa lost by eight wickets. Nefdt scored her second half-century in Test cricket during the second-innings, top-scoring among the South Africans with 68.
Nefdt fell for a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
in the first-innings of the final Test in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, a pitch that saw high-scoring innings from Ruth Westbrook
Ruth Westbrook
Ruth Westbrook played 11 Test matches for the England women's cricket team between 1957/58 and 1963. She married England Test cricketer Roger Prideaux and they are the only married couple to have both played Test cricket. She later coached and managed the England women's team before emigrating to...
and Helen Sharpe
Helen Sharpe
Helen Sharpe played five Test matches for the England women's cricket team between 1957/58 and 1960/61.- References :...
for England, while Yvonne van Mentz
Yvonne van Mentz
Yvonne van Mentz is a former South African cricketer. She scored South Africa's first century in Women's Test cricket, with an unbeaten 105 against England in the fourth Test played during the 1960/61 season. An all-rounder, she played four Test matches for South Africa, taking eight wickets and...
scored South Africa's first century in Test cricket. Promoting herself to open in the second-innings, Nefdt added 11 to the score before being caught and bowled by Anne Sanders for the second time in the match.