England Women v South Africa Women Emerging XI – 50-over warm-up match, University of Pretoria
England Women won the toss and elected to bat
England Women – 337-8 (Lauren Winfield 81, Jenny Gunn 62, Lydia Greenway 50, Michelle Burt 3-63) – 50 overs
South Africa Women’s Emerging XI* – 192 (Danielle Wyatt* 60, Tammy Beaumont* 28, Katherine Brunt 4-25) – 49.1 overs
*After 26 overs, with the score on 68-7, both sides agreed to allow England Women’s players Danielle Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont to bat at numbers 9 and 11 respectively for the South Africa Women’s Emerging XI
England women won by 145 runs
England women warmed up for their one-day international series with a crushing 145-run victory over a South African Emerging XI in Mark Robinson’s first game as Head Coach.
Lauren Winfield, Lydia Greenway and Jenny Gunn all struck half-centuries as the tourists racked up 337 for eight after Charlotte Edwards had opted to make first use in Pretoria.
Katherine Brunt then took three early wickets as the South Africans were reduced to 26 for six and, after a helping hand from England’s Danielle Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont, they were eventually dismissed for 192.
Edwards may have won the toss but she initially struggled to make good on her decision to bat, playing on for a second-ball duck.
However, Sarah Taylor joined Winfield, a late replacement for injured opener Amy Jones, at the crease and the second-wicket pair got their side back on track by adding 50 runs from just 38 balls.
Winfield required just 36 deliveries to reach her half-century and, having seen Taylor bowled playing across the line for 35, the Yorkshirewoman then holed out to deep midwicket with 81 of England’s 137.
Vice-captain Heather Knight compiled 45 during fifty stands with firstly Winfield and then Greenway, who provided several of her trademark sweeps during her innings of 50.
Although Georgia Elwiss missed out, making just seven, Gunn and Brunt enjoyed themselves with a 53-ball 50-run alliance.
Gunn continued her excellent form from the mini tour of Sri Lanka before Christmas, finding the boundary 10 times during her hard-hitting 62 off 53 deliveries, while Brunt contributed 30.
Brunt then took three early wickets while Anya Shrubsole, who was returning from illness, Kate Cross, and Rebecca Grundy also struck to leave the hosts 66 for seven.
That was when Wyatt was drafted into bat to prolong the match and she staked a claim for a starting spot in Robinson’s XI with a brutal innings.
Fresh from the Women’s Big Bash League, Wyatt crashed 60 off just 42 deliveries from number nine.
Beaumont, coming in an number 11, also struck the ball well in making 28 while Brunt finished with excellent figures of 4-25.
You can see player interviews here.
England women’s tour to South Africa 2016 schedule in full:
| Date | Format | Venue |
| 7.2.16 | 1st ODI * | Sahara Willowmoore Park, Benoni |
| 12.2.16 | 2nd ODI * | SuperSport Park, Centurion |
| 14.2.16 | 3rd ODI * | Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 18.2.16 | 1st T20I | Boland Park, Paarl |
| 19.2.16 | 2nd T20I + | Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town |
| 21.2.16 | 3rd T20I + | Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
* ICC Women’s Championship fixture
+ Double-header with men’s T20I (South Africa v England)
The photo above shows Heather Knight and Georgia Elwiss fielding during the 2015 Ashes Series
Report courtesy of the ECB
