England women hold on for early win in East London

Nat Sciver-Brunt’s half-century helped England Women draw first blood in their three-match T20 series as they beat SA by four wickets in the opening game at Buffalo Park in East London on Sunday.

The 32-year-old notched up 59 runs off 54 balls, playing a huge hand in the Lionesses reaching their target of 143 runs with four balls remaining. SA had earlier posted 142/5.

England openers Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Maia Bouchier had a good start to their innings going at an early rate of 10 an over.

They punished Ayanda Hlubi and Sune Luus who struggled with accuracy.

Laura Wolvaardt brought in seamer Nadine de Klerk to try to calm the English storm, and the change immediately worked as De Klerk cleaned up Wyatt-Hodge’s (11) wicket with the third ball of the third over leaving England on 29/1.

Eliz-Mari Marx collected the second wicket for the Proteas after hitting the top of Bouchier’s off stump for 20 in the fourth over.

Sophia Dunkley had a short stay at the crease for her four runs after being stumped by Sinalo Jafta off De Klerk’s bowling, leaving England in a spot of bother at 55/3 after eight overs.

Marx continued bowling with consistency in her line and length and claimed Heather Knight’s scalp for just a run.

Knight was pinned on the back foot as the ball kept low with an inside edge off the bat cannoning into the stumps.

Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones stopped England’s mini collapse and put on a fifty-run partnership.

Jones was eventually bowled by Nondumiso Shangase for 31 runs in the 15th over.

But that did not bother Sciver-Brunt as she notched up her 15th T20 half-century.

She became Marx’s third wicket of the afternoon, but the damage had been done as England claimed their first victory in East London since 2004.

The Proteas’ innings was littered with starts from the top and middle order, but nobody could kick on and get a big score.

Apart from Luus, everyone made double figures as the home side posted 142/5, with De Klerk providing the late impetus with an unbeaten 29 off 16 balls on a pitch that was fair to bat and ball.

The Proteas’ opening pair of Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits laid a solid foundation for the home side with 35 in five overs.

England’s Lauren Bell and Sciver-Bunt were constant in hitting the back-of-a-length giving precious little away, but Brits and Wolvaardt managed to chip in some runs.

Wolvaardt hit three boundaries for her 22 off 19 balls, but was bowled by Charlie Dean trying to force the pace just four balls before the power play.

Dean lured her down the pitch with a pinpoint accurate delivery that slid past the outside edge and clattered into middle stump to give England their first wicket.

The Proteas finished the first power play at 38-1, maybe a bit shy of where they thought they would be.

Brits (15) was deceived by a variation in pace by Sophie Ecclestone and Jones whipped off the bails from behind.

Anneke Bosch played a small cameo for her 18 runs before Freya Kemp rearranged her stumps, leaving the Proteas in trouble at 58 for three in the eighth over.

To make matters worse for the home side, Luus was caught at mid-on by Ecclestone in the next over for a duck off the bowling of Dean.

Annerie Dercksen and Shangase resurrected the innings as they put together a stand of 36 runs, though it came at a slowish rate.

Shangase did not connect properly with her slog down the ground and the ball found the waiting hands of Ecclestone, handing Sarah Glenn her first wicket.

Dercksen (26 not out) and De Klerk added some respect to the total at the death with a 42-run unbeaten partnership.