England showed why they are the four time champions and last tournament’s runner-up. They showed their class by outplaying their opponents in all facets of the game as South Africa were shown their place today in Guwahati. Opting to field first, Linsey Smith’s 3-wicket haul rattled South Africa badly and they never recovered. The other bowlers chipped in as England skittled South Africa out for 69 in 20.4 overs.
In reply, the England openers Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont completed the formalities in 14.1 overs as they got to the target with Beaumont remaining unbeaten on 21 and Amy Jones remained unbeaten on 40 off 50 balls as the chase was done and dusted in 14.1 overs as England won with 35.5 overs to spare.
All-round bowling performance led by Linsey Smith bundles South Africa out for 69 in 20.4 overs
Put into bat first, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits came out to open for South Africa while Lauren Bell had ball in hand for England. Wolvaardt got off the mark in delightful fashion as she drove Bell past backward point for a boundary. Brits then got into the act as she came down the wicket and threw her hands at it to slice it over point for a boundary. Linsey Smith the spinner took the ball from the other end and she struck for England removing Wolvaardt for 5 off 5 balls with a boundary to her name.
Linsey tossed it up a fraction fuller this time on off-stump, Laura planted her front leg and looked to push it down the ground. She was a bit early in the stroke and chipped it back to Smith who completed the catch for her maiden ODI World Cup wicket. Sune Luus came out to bat next. Bell continued and bowled a decent over. Smith struck again and was on a roll as she removed Brits for 5 off 7 balls with a boundary to her name.
Linsey from around the wicket bowled a flighted delivery that pitched a few inches outside off-stump and kept coming back in with the angle. Brits with a small stride forward pushed at it and left a big gap between bat and front pad. The ball sneaked through to clatter the stumps. Marizanne Kapp came out to bat next. She survived a LBW appeal and then hit a glorious boundary through the covers. Bell then got into the act and got rid of Luus for 2 off 11 balls.
Bell bowled it fuller a shade outside off-stump and got it to seam back in after pitching, Luus planted her front leg and pushed at it but got beaten on the inside edge as the ball hits the off-stump which was sent for a walk. Anneke Bosch came out to bat next and got off the mark with a brace. Smith continued to take wickets as she now got rid of Kapp for 4 off 6 balls with a boundary to her name.
Smith bowled another flighted delivery around off-stump It went on with the arm as Kapp looked to defend it with a big stride forward but played down the wrong line. It clipped her front pad and hit the top of middle stump. Sinalo Jafta came out to bat next. Jafta managed to get a triple to get herself going. Jafta managed to get a welcome boundary away through cover point and backward point. Bosch hit a cover drive off Bell. Smith continued as Jafta survived a stumping chance as Jones missed the collection of the ball.
Nat Sciver-Brunt came into the attack next and broke through straightaway as she removed Bosch for 6 off 5 balls with a boundary to her name. Nat bowled a short of a good length delivery on the stumps from over the wicket. Bosch misjudged the length and she stayed back and looked to flick it away but missed it. She wore it on the front pad right in front of the stumps and the umpire raised the finger in a flash. Bosch decided not to challenge it. Chloe Tryon came out to bat next.
Sophie Ecclestone came into the attack and gifted five wides away to the batting side as a bonus. Ecclestone fought back to hold things back as South Africa at the end of the first powerplay are 38/5 in 10 overs. Nat continued after the powerplay and got rid of Tryon for 2 off 10 balls. She bowled a short of a length delivery on leg stump, Tryon stayed deep in the crease and looked to work it square of the wicket in the leg side but closed her bat face a bit early. She got a leading edge and Capsey at short midwicket moved a couple of steps to her left and took a good catch above her head. Nadine de Clerk came out to bat next.
Jafta hit Ecclestone for a boundary by guiding it to short third man for a boundary. Nat bowled a tight over as well. Sophie Ecclestone got into the act as she removed Nadine de Klerk for 3 off 11 balls. Sophie tossed this up nicely outside off-stump, de Klerk without any foot movement went for a drive away from her body and got an outside edge as Knight at first slip took a good catch with a reverse cup. Masabata Klaas came out to bat next.
Charlie Dean came onto bowl next. The 50 came up for South Africa in 14.3 overs. Jafta managed to hit Dean by clearing mid-off for a boundary. Drinks was taken with the score at 54/7 in 15 overs. Ecclestone continued after the break and bowled a decent over. Dean then got into the act as she removed Klaas for 3 off 13 balls. Dean bowled a length ball around off-stump pitched and straightened. Klaas leaned forward as she played for the turn. She got beaten on the outside edge and the ball crashed onto the top of off-stump. Ayabonga Khaka came out to bat next.
Ecclestone got another as she removed the well set Jafta for 22 off 36 balls with 3 fours to her name. Sophie bowled a length ball around off-stump that pitched and kept a bit low. Jafta stepped down the track and looked to play the square drive. She got beaten on the under edge and the ball hit the off-stump. Nonkululeko Mlaba came out to bat next. Khaka managed to get a welcome boundary away by driving it through the covers for a boundary.
Ecclestone continued and bowled a decent over as South Africa crawled to 67/9 in 20 overs. Charlie Dean finished things off for England as she dismissed Mlaba for 3 off 8 balls. Dean tossed it up around off-stump that gripped and turned back in. Mlaba cleared her front leg and swung her bat across the line. She was nowhere to the pitch of the ball. She got beaten on the inside edge and the ball crashed onto the off-stump. South Africa were skittled out for 69 in 20.4 overs with Khaka remaining unbeaten on 6 off 12 balls with a boundary to her name. 8 extras given by the fielding side.
Linsey Smith was the pick of the bowlers for England with excellent figures of 3/7 in 4 overs. Nat Sciver-Brunt chipped in with 2/5 in 3 overs. Sophie Ecclestone bowled well for her 2/19 in 6 overs. Charlie Dean chipped in with 2/14 in 3.4 overs. Lauren Bell chipped in with 1/24 in 4 overs. This meant that England now needed a mere 70 runs to win and begin their campaign in style.
Amy Jones’ unbeaten 40 powers England to a 10-wicket win in 14.1 overs
Chasing a target of 70 for the win, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones came out to bat for England while Marizanne Kapp had ball in hand for South Africa. Kapp bowled a decent first over. Chloe Tryon came onto bowl from the other end. Beaumont got the first boundary away of the innings by driving it past short cover for a boundary. Tryon gave away 5 wides as a bonus to the batting side. Kapp continued as Beaumont pulled Kapp for a boundary through long leg.
Tryon bowled a decent over. Kapp continued and burnt a review against Beaumont for LBW in desperation. Jones then hit Tryon the left of diving mid-off fielder for a boundary. Kapp continued and bowled a miserly over. Masabata Klaas came onto bowl next. She too bowled a miserly over. Nonkululeko Mlaba came into the attack next. She too kept things under check. Klaas continued and bowled a decent over as England had no pressure of the asking rate.
At the end of the first powerplay after 10 overs, England were off to a steady start at 39/0. Mlaba continued as Jones took the attack to her and cut it away through cover point for a boundary. Jones hit another boundary back over the bowler’s head off Mlaba. Klaas continued as the 50-run stand came up between the two players and for England. Jones then took the aerial route and pumped it over mid-on for a boundary. Jones was next dropped by Klaas off her own bowling as the keeper batter got a reprieve.
Ayabonga Khaka came onto bowl next. Jones took the attack to Khaka by hitting back-to-back boundaries through wide mid-on and through midwicket region as well. Klaas continued and bowled a decent over as scores were level after 14 overs. The winning runs came off the bat of Tammy Beaumont as she flicked Khaka past short fine leg for a boundary as England won by 10 wickets with 35.5 overs to spare. Beaumont remained unbeaten on 21 off 35 balls with 3 fours to her name while Amy Jones remained unbeaten on 40 off 50 balls with 6 fours to her name. 12 extras given by the fielding side.
Nothing to ride home about for South African bowlers as 5 bowlers were used and none of them managed to take a wicket at all. So, England won by 10 wickets and for her opening burst with ball in hand, Linsey Smith was awarded the Player of the Match Award.
What Lies Ahead
The bandwagon moves to Colombo for tomorrow’s game as the seven time defending champions Australia will take on hosts Sri Lanka on 4th October 2025 at 3 PM IST. Australia began their campaign with a win while Sri Lanka went down fighting to India. So, all to play for in that game.
Who will get the win in that game? Only time will tell. Australia are favourites, Sri Lanka has home ground advantage with them.