England Women kicked off their NatWest Women’s Series with a 121-run victory over South Africa.
All photos by Christopher Lee
 Trisha Chetty and Claire Taylor  Nicky Shaw, Isa Guha and Holly Colvin celebrate a wicket |  Trisha Chetty and Sarah Taylor |
Having won the toss South African captain, Cri-Zelda Brits opted to bowl and put England into bat. The hosts’ openers, Sarah Taylor and Caroline Atkins, made a solid start for England putting on 99 for the first wicket before Taylor was caught and bowled by Sunette Loubser after reaching 56, her fourth international half-century.
Atkins was joined by Claire Taylor who dug in and grafted to make 83 off 70 balls, the highest score for England. The pair added 10 runs before Atkins (38) fell to another caught and bowled from Louser.
Captain Charlotte Edwards came in at four and together she and Taylor worked hard and made light of South Africa’s bowling adding 99 before Edwards, (38) was caught and bowled by Ashlyn Kilowan.
Birthday girl Lydia Greenway replaced Edwards at the crease and with Taylor posted 25 before Taylor fell to a run-out by Shandre Fritz with England on 233-4. Greenway had been extremely lucky finding herself at the same end as Taylor at one point. However a miss-throw from the South Africans saved her wicket.
Jenny Gunn headed to the middle after the loss of Taylor and made four before she was caught by Marcia Letsaolo off the bowling of Kilowan.
With England 246-5 Beth Morgan made her way to the crease to join Greenway. They added eight with Greenway caught behind by Trisha Chetty off the bowling of Alicia Smith on the last ball of the innings. England finished on 254-6.
In reply South Africa made 133 all out with Holly Colvin taking three wickets for just 17 runs. Olivia Anderson made a steady start for the visitors, putting in a sensible performance at the top of the order. She made 35 before she eventually fell to a catch by Sarah Taylor off Nicky Shaw’s bowling leaving South Africa reeling on 77-6.
The opening pair had put on 17 but Daleen Terblanche was run out by Katherine Brunt having made just five. Captain Cri-Zelda Brits opened her series in England with a duck as she was dismissed from a left-handed diving catch by Lydia Greenway off Isa Guha’s bowling.
Annelie Minny came in at four and made seven before being trapped lbw by Guha with South Africa on 37-3.
Smith (11) joined Anderson in the middle but was caught by Claire Taylor off Colvin’s bowling to give the spinner her first wicket of the match. Fritz headed to the middle but was clean bowled for five by Colvin.
Trisha Chetty, coming in at seven held the innings together for South Africa, finishing unbeaten on 33. Colvin claimed her third victim as she bowled Loubser for two who had come in for Anderson.
Edwards came into the attack to skittle through the tail which she did. Morgan took two catches off her bowling to dismiss Charlize Van Der Westhuizen for 6 and Kilowan for three. Jenny Gunn clean-bowled Letsoalo for four to finish off the South African innings and see England through to a relatively easy victory.
Post match Edwards commented: “I’m really happy with the convincing start to the NatWest Women’s Series. There were some good individual performances from the two Taylor’s.
“We’re really looking forward to continuing with this form as we head into Lord’s on Friday.”
Player of the Match, Claire Taylor added: It’s brilliant to be playing international cricket again after our taster against the West Indies in July. I was pleased to be able to make a major contribution to the game today and spend some time in the middle.
“I’m very excited about going back to Lord’s and looking forward to the butterflies as I walk out through the long room to bat again.”
