England made a thunderous start to their Women’s World Cup campaign, overwhelming South Africa by a resounding 10 wickets at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The match concluded far earlier than anticipated, with South Africa collapsing to an abysmal 69 runs – marking their third-lowest total in Women’s One-Day Internationals. England then effortlessly chased down this paltry target in merely 14.1 overs.
Debutante Linsey Smith delivered a sensational performance with the ball, claiming an impressive 3 wickets for just 7 runs. Her crucial dismissals of captain Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, and Marizanne Kapp swiftly dismantled South Africa’s top batting order.
Supporting Smith’s brilliance, Nat Sciver-Brunt (2/5), Sophie Ecclestone (2/19), and Charlie Dean (2/14) inflicted further damage, leaving the Proteas struggling at 19 for 4. South Africa was ultimately bowled out in just 20.4 overs.
Wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta was the sole batter to offer any semblance of resistance, scoring 22 runs off 36 deliveries, but lacked support from her teammates. A staggering nine South African batters failed to reach double figures, as England’s bowlers skillfully capitalized on the early movement of the new ball.
England’s pursuit of the modest target was executed with ease. Openers Tammy Beaumont (21 not out) and Amy Jones (40 not out) began cautiously before accelerating, dispatching any loose deliveries. They comfortably reached the target with an impressive 215 balls to spare, marking the fourth-largest victory margin by balls remaining for England Women in ODI history.
England’s captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, expressed immense satisfaction with her team’s comprehensive performance. She remarked, ‘Everyone was truly switched on in the field. We even managed a few first-ball wickets, so everything just clicked into place for us.’ Sciver-Brunt also commended Linsey Smith’s decisive contribution, noting, ‘She played to her strengths, and we recognized she was an excellent match-up against those particular batters.’
Conversely, South African captain Laura Wolvaardt acknowledged her team’s shortcomings. ‘It wasn’t our best effort with the bat,’ she stated, ‘but I don’t believe we’ve suddenly become a poor batting side. We likely underestimated the amount of swing on offer, and perhaps we should have played with straighter lines.’
This historic 10-wicket triumph marked England’s first against South Africa in One-Day Internationals, and their third such victory across all World Cup matches. This win further solidifies England’s significant advantage in the rivalry, extending their World Cup record against the Proteas to 7 wins and 2 losses.
This commanding performance serves as a powerful statement from England, clearly establishing them as strong contenders in the tournament. South Africa, on the other hand, will need to swiftly reassess and regroup before their upcoming match against New Zealand.