Allrounders Marizanne Kapp and Annerie Dercksen were at the fore as South Africa kickstarted the women’s ODI series against England with a six-wicket win in Kimberley. The duo shared six wickets between them as England were bowled out for 186. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt then anchored the chase with an unbeaten 59, again aided by valuable cameos from Kapp, Dercksen and Nadine de Klerk as South Africa went 1-0 up with 70 balls to spare in the three-match series.

Refreshed after being rested from the preceding T20I series, Kapp picked up three wickets inside her first four overs reducing England to 29 for 3. That soon became 77 for 5 and eventually 106 for 7 in the 26th over. But a counterattacking eighth-wicket partnership of 67 off 64 between Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone helped England to a respectable total.

It seemed as if South Africa would make easy work of the chase when Tazmin Brits hit three fours in a Lauren Filer over. But she was given out lbw when a length ball from Lauren Bell hit her on the thigh pad after her missed attempt at a sweep-pull. She wanted to review the call but Hawk-Eye was down and she couldn’t use the DRS. However, South Africa found the going easier against Bell and Filer, especially when they pitched the ball on the fuller lengths. They had raced to 38 for 1 after six overs when spin was brought on.

Dean applied the brakes on scoring and trapped Sune Luus lbw, who was also unable to review the decision with DRS down, and walked back visibly upset. At that stage, with the up-and-down bounce exaggerated by the use of the heavy roller, the target felt distant.

But Dercksen eased the nerves by hitting three fours in her first eight balls. She helped South Africa take back the control England exerted through Dean and Nat Sciver-Brunt and allowed Wolvaardt to play the waiting game. Dercksen and Wolvaardt added 54 for the third wicket before the former fell pulling a short ball from Filer straight to deep square leg, where Tammy Beaumont took a well-judged catch.

That is when Kapp stamped her mark with the bat, scoring a run-a-ball 22 with three fours and a six. She first sliced Ecclestone past backward point before hitting Filer for a four and six to help South Africa march towards the target. At the other end, Wolvaardt completed her half-century off 92 balls. Kapp fell with South Africa 51 away but Wolvaardt and de Klerk [48 not out off 28 balls] completed the formality with the latter hitting 11 fours, the most by any batter in the contest. On the way, South Africa managed to keep Ecclestone wicketless for a ten-over spell in an ODI for the first time since March 2022.

England were dealt an early blow with Maia Bouchier being ruled out after spraining her neck while batting in the nets. As a result, Sophia Dunkley partnered with Beaumont at the top after they opted to bat. Beaumont edged Kapp first ball she faced but wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta couldn’t hang on. Kapp, and Jafta, did not have to wait long for success though as Dunkley tickled one to Jafta on the final ball of the first over.

Kapp continued to probe with the new ball and, along with Ayabonga Khaka, managed to string together a row of 11 dots before Beaumont decided to change gears. She charged Khaka to flick her over midwicket and went past Claire Taylor to become England’s second-highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs, and enter the list of top ten run-getters in the format. But her joy was short-lived, when, in the following over, she charged down to Kapp but was beaten on the inside to be bowled. Danni Wyatt-Hodge continued from where she left off in the T20Is and smacked a couple of balls before she was trapped in front by de Klerk.

Amy Jones then helped England recover briefly as spin came into play. But Dercksen, in just her second ODI preferred here ahead of the more experienced Anneke Bosch, struck soon enough, getting Jones to miscue a pull towards deep backward square leg where Chloe Tryon pulled off a stunning diving catch. Nonkululeko Mlaba, who had an injury scare after twisting her ankle early in the match, then trapped Alice Capsey lbw.

Heather Knight took her time and looked to get the measure of the surface. She hit five fours in her innings, often using her feet even against the seamers. But her attempted paddle against Mlaba proved to be her downfall.

At that stage, England looked to be folding cheaply, but Dean and Ecclestone combined for England’s third-best partnership for the eighth wicket in ODIs. It was only when de Klerk pulled off a fine leaping catch at backward point after Ecclestone mistimed a cut off a slow short ball from Dercksen that the partnership ended.

That effort was not enough to prevent a first loss on the tour for England, who were playing an international game for the first time at the Kimberley Oval.

Brief scores:
South Africa Women  189 for 4 in 38.2 overs  (Laura Wolvaardt 59*, Nadine de Klerk 48*) beat England Women 186 in 38.4 overs (Charlie Dean 47*, Heather Knight 40;  Annerie Dercksen 3-16, Marizanne Kapp 3-24, Nonkululeko Mlaba 2-47) by six wickets

[Cicinfo]