“England Women Crush South Africa Women in World Cup 2025 Opener – Full Match Report”
England dominate as South Africa are bowled out for 69 — Women’s World Cup, Guwahati
In a one-sided encounter at the Barsapara Stadium, England’s bowlers ran through the South African lineup and set up a routine chase, finishing off a comprehensive win in their World Cup opener.
Venue: Barsapara (Assam Cricket Association Stadium), Guwahati
Date: 3 October 2025
Toss: England won the toss and fielded first. 0
Player of the Match: Linsey Smith (England) — crucial spin spell. 1
Match summary
England’s decision to bowl first paid immediate dividends as their bowlers combined to strangle South Africa’s batting. A superb spell from spinner Linsey Smith (3 for 7) ripped through the Proteas’ top and middle order, while Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone and others kept the pressure on to bundle South Africa out for just 69 in 20.4 overs.
The South African innings never found momentum — the top order fell cheaply and only Sinalo Jafta offered any resistance with a gritty 22. England’s bowlers hit the right lengths, varied their pace and used spin skilfully on a pitch that offered turn and a nip for those bowling straight. By the time the chase began England barely had to push, completing the win with overs to spare. 3
Scorecard (highlights)
| South Africa Women innings | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Wolvaardt c & b Smith | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 71.4 |
| Tazmin Brits c & b ??? | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 71.4 |
| Sinalo Jafta (top score) | 22 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 61.1 |
| Nadine de Klerk | 11 | — | — | — | — |
| Extras (b, lb, w, nb) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 69 | 120.4 |
Key bowling figures — Linsey Smith 4-3-7-3; Sophie Ecclestone 6-2-19-2; Nat Sciver-Brunt 2-5 (wickets). 4
Key moments
- Early breakthroughs: England struck early through tidy, stump-to-stump bowling, removing the top three inside the powerplay and leaving South Africa on the back foot.
- Linsey Smith’s jewels: Smith’s three-wicket burst — including a beauty to Marizanne Kapp — effectively broke South Africa’s spine and swung the game decisively.
- Controlled chase: England’s batters chased down the modest target with composure, rarely giving the bowlers a sniff as they preserved wickets and kept the scoreboard moving. 7
Players’ and coaches’ notes
England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt’s captaincy call to bowl first was vindicated, with the bowlers executing a disciplined game plan. England coach Charlotte Edwards had stressed discipline and humility heading into the tournament and the bowlers’ clinical effort was a perfect start to the campaign. 8
For South Africa, the early collapse will be a major concern — the team will look to regroup, assess their top-order approach and lean on their experienced batters such as Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits to find form in the coming matches. 9
What this means for the tournament
A dominant display by England sends a strong message to the rest of the field: their bowling unit can be a tournament-defining weapon. South Africa, meanwhile, must recover quickly — in a round-robin World Cup the net run-rate and early points are crucial. England’s convincing win will lift confidence and give them a positive start as they proceed to face other group opponents. 10
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