In the opening Twenty20 international of the three-match series in East London, England defeated South Africa by a tense four wickets thanks to a half-century from Nat Sciver-Brunt.
At Buffalo Park, Sciver-Brunt (59 off 54 balls) and Amy Jones (31 off 19) shared a 50 from 36 delivery partnership after England had fallen to 65-4 in a chase of 143.
Jones, Chiefly, and Sciver-Brunt took 22 off Ayanda Hlubi in the 15th over, which was critical to the outcome. Jones struck two fours and then a six off a free hit as the last three balls went for 15, reducing England’s requirement from 30 to 35.
Sciver-Brunt caught at the beginning of the 20th over with the score tied, and Jones bowled at the end of the next over with 28 runs remaining. Neither player was there at the end.
However, England won their first game since losing to the West Indies in the T20 World Cup in October thanks to a leg bye following ball.
Nadine de Klerk’s late cameo of 29 not out from 16 balls and Annerie Dercksen’s undefeated 26 from 29 were the main reasons why South Africa, who were defeated by New Zealand in the World Cup final last month, scored 142-5 after being added.
The best bowler for England was off-spinner Charlie Dean, who bowled a charging Laura Wolvaardt (22) to trigger a Proteas wobble of 4-29 from 35-0 and record numbers of 2-21.
Before the teams play three one-day internationals and one Test match, the series resumes at Benoni on Wednesday at 4 p.m. UK time and ends at Centurion on Saturday at 4 p.m. UK.
England Start T20 Series with Win
The chase was started quickly by England’s openers Danni Wyatt-Hodge (11 off 11) and Maia Bouchier (20 off 17), but they were bowled by De Klerk (2-20) and Eliz-Mari Marx (3-19) respectively in nine deliveries.
Marx, who later bowled England captain Heather Knight (1) off an inside edge and had Sciver-Brunt pouch at backward square very late in the game, had Bouchier off stump after she tried a flappy reverse heave.
With Sophia Dunkley (4) caught behind trying to ramp De Klerk two overs earlier, South Africa was well in the game when Marx did for Knight in the eleventh over.
However, after the tourists destroyed Hlubi in a spectacular 15th over, she dismissed Sciver-Brunt too late to preserve South Africa.
When Nonkululeko Mlaba’s ball failed to hit enough leg stump in the 17th over for the on-field decision of not out to be overturned, Sciver-Brunt survived a close lbw review.
With a boundary off De Klerk, the England vice-captain proceeded to secure his second consecutive half-century and 15th T20 international half-century from 45 balls.
Sciver-Brunt dropped Anneke Bosch (18) at backward square earlier, but that error only cost England five runs because Freya Kemp quickly splashed the batter’s stumps. Earlier, England had been a little careless with the ball and in the field.
Although South Africa’s total ultimately proved inferior, Lauren Bell had costly figures of 0-46 from her four overs, shipping 18 from the final over as De Klerk struck.
