England stroll to 10-wicket victory after demolishing South Africa for 69

England have won their opening game of the Women’s World Cup in a crushing 10-wicket victory over South Africa in Guwahati Having won the toss and decided to put the opposition in, Nat Sciver-Brunt chipped in with two of the three wickets that fell to seam as England’s spinners had a field day.

Linsey Smith, playing in her first World Cup match and bedazzling by drifting the ball rather than turning it, dismissed South Africa’s powerful opening partnership, taking a return catch from Laura Woolvaardt and castling Tazmin Brits in her first two overs. She finished with three for seven off four overs.

Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean took two wickets each as England turned the screw, skittling South Africa for 69 in 124 balls, their second lowest total in ODI cricket.

England’s openers, Amy Jones (40) and Tammy Beaumont (21), knocked off the chase in 14.1 overs, Jones stroking six fours, to give them a net run-rate of 3.773 that takes them to the top of the eight-team group table. The next of England’s six remaining round-robin games is on Tuesday against Bangladesh at the same venue.

Full report to follow

England move to the top of the table

That’s everything from today’s rather rapid match.

England’s net run rate increases to an impressive 3.77 that puts them at the top of the World Cup table at this very early stage.

England’s next game is against Bangladesh on Tuesday October 7.

Linsey Smith awarded player of the match award

Linsey Smith said afterwards: “I am really delighted with how we did. To get that start, for me, was special and importantly, we got the win.

“Lottie [Charlotte Edwards] spoke to me and told me I was opening [the bowling] which I was excited about. It was a tough challenge but the conditions suited me and I am proud I did well.

“I backed myself and didn’t overcomplicate things. I try to keep the stumps in play as much as possible and it came off today.”

England win by 10 wickets

Beaumont turns one through backward square to secure the comfortable 10 wicket win for England with more than 37 overs remaining.

The first innings was a statement of intent for England, and the second a mere formality.

Amy Jones finishes with an unbeaten 40 and Tammy Beaumont on 21, you could not ask for a better start to a World Cup.

England 69-0 (14) Beaumont 17, Jones 40, Klaas 0-18 (4)

The margin is closed with a wide, and then another raced single.

Another wide leaves England needing just two runs.

Beaumont gets a single to tie the scores, but they cannot wrap it up in this over.

England 64-0 (13) Beaumont 15, Jones 39, Khaka 0-9 (1)

Jones plays a carbon copy of the shot over midwicket from the last over and has another four, and she backs it up with another targeting the same area of the field.

Nine runs from the over and England are just six runs away from a remarkable victory.

England 55-0 (12) Beaumont 14, Jones 31, Klaas 0-13 (3)

That’s the 50 opening partnership from England, something South Africa could only dream of in their innings.

Another single turned behind off the hip from Beaumont, and at what point do England start taking this on for net run rate?

Jones is looking to push this one and hits over midwicket for another boundary.

But she has been dropped next ball! She hits one straight back to the bowler but agonisingly slowly and Klaas puts out a hand but cannot take the catch.

England 48-0 (11) Beaumont 13, Jones 26, Mlaba 0-9 (2)

England have scored 39 without loss in the powerplay.

Jones gets one through the infield, two fielders dived and it carved the space between them to bring another boundary.

Jones goes down the ground and has her second boundary of the over.

Nine runs from it.

39-0 (10) Beaumont 13, Jones 17, Klaas 0-6 (2)

Another leg bye, this time off Jones’ pad inches England closer to the required total.

Beaumont adds another singles towards third man.

Jones goes on the attack trying to hit through midwicket and they get a two.

34-0 (9) Beaumont 12, Jones 14, Mlaba 0-0

Another bowling change, and Kapp will be replaced by Mlaba.

Beaumont continues to take large strides forward and defends the first delivery, she is in two minds on a couple of occasions, but managed to jab the bat down in time.

A quicker ball glances off the pad for a leg bye. Maiden over to start with from Mlaba.

England 32-0 (8) Beaumont 12, Jones 14, Klaas 0-2 (1)

First change of bowling from South Africa with Klaas replacing Tryon.

She starts off very straight and Jones defends the first couple before clipping a single to midwicket.

She bowls a touch short to Beaumont who picks up a single to deep square leg.

England 30-0 (7) Beaumont 11, Jones 13, Kapp 0-13 (4)

Kapp will continue for her fourth over. and for Jones the slip comes out and goes to a close in midwicket.

Just the one single from the final ball of the over.

England 29-0 (6) Beaumont 11, Jones 12, Tryon 0-17 (3)

Another one is worked behind square for a single by Beaumont who came right down the wicket for that one.

Jones takes a different approach, going on the back foot and hitting a boundary that just evades the fielder through extra cover.

England 23-0 (5) Beaumont 10, Jones 7, Kapp 0-12 (3)

Jones nudges one around the corner for a single. Kapp bowls another beauty, this one carves up Beaumont completely but evades the stumps by a tiny margin.

There’s a huge appeal from Kapp and Wolvaardt has sent this one upstairs. The main question is whether Beaumont managed to get outside the line or not.

And the on-field decision of not out has been upheld.

Beaumont again works one behind square for a single.

England 20-0 (4) Beaumont 9, Jones 6 Tryon 0-10 (2)

A missfield from Khaka brings the first run from the over, and there’s another wide from Tryon.

Two runs from it.

England 19-0 (3) Beaumont 9, Jones 5, Kapp 0-10 (2)

There’s almost a mix up, Jones was sent back halfway down after picking out the fielder at cover, but the pick up was not clean enough and the throw not accurate enough for South Africa.

Jones gets another single off the outside edge, and Beaumont picks a shorter one up early and rocks back to hit it for four.

England 14-0 (2) Beaumont 5, Jones 4, Tryon 0-9 (1)

Tryon opening the bowling as a left-arm finger spin, after switching five or six years ago. Beaumont will pick up a boundary but she hit it in the air and it was not far away from Wolvaardt at cover.

Tryon gets one all wrong and she bowls a wide that evades the keeper and goes to the boundary.

England 5-0 (1) Beaumont 1, Jones 4, Kapp 0-5 (1)

Beaumont plays the first ball straight to point and with a big yell tells her partner to wait.

England are off the mark the next ball with Beaumont hitting a single.

There are two slips in place, and it’s a beautiful delivery to Jones that just evades the outside edge.

She gets off the mark with a thick outside edge that just goes wide of the two slips for two. Jones overhits the next ball but will have another two.

England need just 70 runs to win

Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones have made their way out to the middle to start England’s run chase with just 70 needed to win.

Marizanne Kapp will bowl the first over and the sun just set in Guwahati.

England will start run chase soon

Lauren Bell continued: “We talked about controlling the game and with that we’ll hopefully take wickets. That’s happened today, a dream start and we couldn’t be much happier.”

Lauren Bell hails dream start

Lauren Bell was all smiles – unsurprisingly – in her interview in the break.

“What a start that was. Linsey Smith set the tone up top then every bowler came on and did their job. Couldn’t be happier with that start,” she said.

When asked about Linsey Smith, she added: “I think she’s obviously a great match-up for the top order here but she’s such a skilful player and swings the new ball so she’ll be an important player for us moving forward.”

South Africa bowled out for 69

Charlie Dean has wrapped it up, Mlaba is bowled and South Africa slump to their second-lowest total in ODI matches.

There is not much to say about that, other than it has been perfect from England and a nightmare as far as South Africa are concerned.

England will have a far more straightforward run chase than they could have imagined.

Six of the wickets have been bowled.

Nonkululeko Mlaba of South Africa is bowled out by Charlie Dean — Nonkululeko Mlaba is cleaned up as England rip through South Africa for 69 – ICC via Getty Images/Matt Roberts

South Africa 66-9 (20) Khaka 5, Mlaba 2, Ecclestone 2-19 (6)

Ecclestone will continue, and Mlaba hits one awkwardly off the bat but is able to run through for a single.

Khaka blocks a couple then has a single of her own from the fourth ball of the over.

Three runs from the over, all in singles.

South Africa 64-9 (19) Khaka 4, Mlaba 0, Dean 1-12 (3)

Dean overpitches one and Khaka has her first boundary, it’s the only runs of the 19th over.

WICKET: Jafta bowled by Ecclestone for 22 – South Africa 60-9

Ecclestone has another one, South Africa are 60 for nine.

Jafta was the only player to reach double figures and she has gone trying to hit Ecclestone big over the top and was bowled.

Another wicket maiden for Ecclestone.

WICKET: South Africa 60-8 (17) Klaas is bowled by Dean

Jafta goes big and over the top and it just bounces short of Capsey who drives and stops the boundary.

Dean has bowled Klaas! The wickets just keep on coming and she was beaten on the outside, the ball hits the top of off.

South Africa 57-7 (16) Klaas 3, Jafta 20, Ecclestone 1-15 (4)

Ecclestone will continue, Klaas paddles the first ball into the leg side, it’s slightly areial but there are no fielders there.

Four runs from the over, all in singles.

South Africa 54-7 (15) Klaas 1, Jafta 19, Dean 0-6 (1)

Charlie Dean into the attack. Jafta goes big and over the top and will pick up another boundary for it.

WICKET: De Klerk edges Ecclestone to slip – South Africa 48-7

Ecclestone gets in on the action! De Klerk edges the ball straight into the hands of Knight at slip and South Africa are in even bigger trouble.

It is not clear what she was trying to do there but it was definitely a higher-risk shot than the situation called for.

Wicket maiden for Ecclestone.

Sophie Ecclestone turns the screw with her first wicket – Getty Images/Pankaj Nangia

South Africa 47-6 (13) De Klerk 2 Jafta 14, Sciver-Brunt 2-4 (3)

Sciver-Brunt will continue, she starts with a wide and then a welcome single for South Africa.

Four runs from the over.

South Africa 44-6 (12) Jafta 13, De Klerk 1, Ecclestone 0-12 (2)

Jafta becomes the first South African batter to move into double figures with a four from the first ball of Ecclestone’s second over.

She tries to follow it up with one over the top but doesn’t quite get hold of it and only picks up a single.

WICKET: Tryon caught by Capsey of Sciver-Brunt – South Africa 38-6

Nat Sciver-Brunt strikes again! Tryon has hit the ball in the air and straight into the hands of Alice Capsey.

She was trying to turn the ball around the corner and catches a leading edge. South Africa are in all sorts of trouble here.

After 11 overs, South Africa are 38 for six.

Sciver-Brunt dismisses Tryon — Sciver-Brunt gets back to bowling with a bang – ICC via Getty Images/Matt Roberts

South Africa 38-5 (10) Tryon 2 Jafta 8 – Ecclestone 0-5 (1)

Smith has taken three of the five wickets but she will be replaced by Sophie Ecclestone.

It’s not the best start, she bowls four wides from the first delivery, Jones should probably have done better behind the stumps.

Five runs from the over.

WICKET: Anneke Bosch out lbw to Nat Sciver-Brunt’s first ball South Africa 31-5

Nat Sciver-Brunt has brought herself on. She hasn’t bowled much in the last few months.

Jones is standing up to the stumps and she has a wicket from her first ball!

Bosch has been struck on the pads and the finger has gone up straight away. Surprisingly this has not been reviewed.

Tryon gets off the mark by turning a ball around the corner for a single.

South Africa 32-5 after nine overs.

Bosch falls over — Bosch was pinned plumb leg-before by Sciver-Brunt’s first ball – ICC via Getty Images/ Matt Roberts

South Africa 31-4 (8) Bosh 6 Jafta 8 – Smith 3-7 (4)

Unsurprisingly perhaps, Smith will continue. South Africa have kept playing for turn that just isn’t there, and Jafta almost makes a mistake at the start of this over, but survives.

Jafta is almost stumped! She comes out of her crease and Amy Jones wasn’t quite quick enough and fumbled it slightly.

South Africa 31-4 (7) Bosh 6 Jafta 8 – Bell 1-24 (4)

Bell is into her fourth over, she has one wicket for just 15 runs, but Jafta drives through the off side for a boundary at the start of this one.

Bosch has timed another one through the covers.

WICKET: Marizanne Kapp bowled by Linsey Smith – South Africa 19-4

Linsey Smith strikes again! Marizanne Kapp has to go! She has been bowled by Smith through the gate!

This is an incredible start from England and Linsey Smith.

South Afrixa 22 for four after just six overs.

WICKET: Sune Luus bowled by Lauren Bell – South Africa 17-3

Bell will have her third, but all the breakthroughs have been made at the other end, and she starts the over with a wide.

England have another! Sune Luus is bowled by Bell! It was just a straight one and Luus has missed it.

This is an incredible start from England.

There’s a fielding mistake as Dunkley dives over the ball, and South Africa will get through for a couple.

South Africa 19-3 after five overs.

WICKET: Tazmin Brits bowled by Linsey Smith – South Africa 12-2

Smith strikes again! Brits has been bowled for just five, the ball keeps coming back in and she plays all around it.

The ball goes straight between bat and pad, England have a second early wicket.

There’s another big appeal from Smith when Kapp is caught on the pads, but she follows it up with a drive through extra cover for four.

South Africa 16-2 after four overs. Luus 2, Kapp 4.

South Africa 12-1 (3) Luus 2 Brits 5 – Bell 0-12

Bell will continue, and a ball that’s a touch straight is clipped away by Brits for a single.

Just the three runs from Bell’s second over, after she went for nine in her first.

WICKET: South Africa 9-1 Wolvaardt caught and bowled Smith

That’s it for seam, Linsey Smith, the slow left armer, will start from the other end.

Wolvaardt chips a leading edge straight back to the bowler! It brings the first breakthrough. It was only her second ball and the dangerous opening partnership comes to an end.

South Africa finish the second over 9-1.

South Africa 9-0 – Wolvaardt 5 Brits 4 – Bell 0-9 (1)

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt will face the first ball from Lauren Bell.

The first ball is far outside the off stump and Wolvaardt does not have to move, but she picks up an easy boundary from the second, just a bit wide and she sends it to the boundary behind backward point.

A single from a straighter delivery follows to bring Tamsin Brits on strike, and she cannot resist trying to play one that is just on fourth stump and she misses it.

More width and Brits goes up and over the top for another boundary.

National anthems

Before the match can get underway it’s time for the national anthems, first up is South Africa’s which has five different languages in it.

Then God Save The King.

Teams

England XI: Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell.

South Africa XI: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sinola Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba.

Guwahati weather watch

We saw in the men’s World Cup that England made a mistake against South Africa when they won the toss and chose to bowl rather than bat in the head of India, it is very humid in Guwahati and it remains to be seen how much the weather will take a toll.

Nat Sciver-Brunt as the second seamer

It was an interesting decision by Nat Sciver-Brunt to trust her abilities as the second seamer. She has not bowled a lot in recent months and said in yesterday’s press conference that she would not be able to bowl a full 10 overs.

Instead she will put her trust in the spinning trio of Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith, so two slow left armers, with leg-spinner Sarah Glenn left on the sidelines.

England go for three spinners, two seamers

England have won the toss

And put South Africa in to bat. Sciver-Brunt says her team want to make their mark eraly and hope that batting will be easier under the lights.

Weather watch

The opening match of the tournament – India’s victory over co-hosts Sri Lanka – was also held at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati – and was slightly affected by rain, but only to the cost of three overs. The forecast is for 30C in mid-afternoon for this day-nighter with some rain expected in a round six hours which may affect a chase, and hence come into consideration at the toss.

Preview: Sciver-Brunt returns to all-round duties

Good morning and welcome to live, over-by-over coverage of England’s opening match in the 2025 Women’s World Cup against South Africa in Guwahati. It’s a round robin-format of eight teams in one group with each playing seven fixtures and the top four advancing to the semi-finals according to where they finish. England, winners in 2017 and runners-up in the 2022 tournament which was delayed a year because of the pandemic, beat South Africa in the semi-final in both those campaigns and have a 6-2 record over them in the 50-over World Cup.

Following their shellacking in the tri-format Ashes in the winter, England have replaced their head coach and captain while retaining the core of the squad. During the summer they beat West Indies in ODIs but lost to India and have fallen from their usual perch as second favourites behind Australia to rank below India and South Africa in many predictions. Their fielding and catching which was so poor Down Under has not improved as quickly as we normally see under a new regime but the new captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, says she is happy with her squad after their 10-day camp in Abu Dhabi and knows she has eight players with WPL experience in India to call on.

“Arriving here in India I wasn’t clear [on who would make the XI] but that was the point of getting over early to Abu Dhabi, to look at a few different combinations. There’s been some great competition in terms of performance and that’s all you can ask for, making it difficult to make decisions.

“So it’s become a bit clearer in the last few days and I’m really excited.” England welcome back former captain Heather Knight and Sciver-Brunt will bowl a few overs after a break from all-round duties but there is a huge responsibility on quick bowler Lauren Bell to break South Africa’s often-devastating opening partnership of Laura Wolvhardt and Tamzin Brits. “They’ve had some huge opening partnerships. We know we’ll be in a fight on that pitch,” Sciver-Brunt added. “But we’ve got a very talented opening bowler who will hopefully be able to rip through that top order.”

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