First ODI, Kimberley

England 186 (38.4 overs): Dean 47* (57); Dercksen 3-16

South Africa 189-4 (38.2 overs): Wolvaardt 59* (114), De Klerk 48* (28)

South Africa won by six wickets; lead series 1-0

Scorecard

England were beaten by six wickets after a below-par showing in the first one-day international against South Africa.

Chasing 187 in scorching conditions in Kimberley, Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt anchored the innings with a gritty unbeaten 59 from 114 balls to reach the target with 11.4 overs to spare.

England’s bowlers toiled, but were left to rue dropping Wolvaardt on five and 27 as the opener held the innings together before Nadine de Klerk’s lively 48 not out from 28 balls secured the victory in style.

While the surface was tricky and offered plenty of uneven bounce, England’s batters were wasteful in being dismissed for 186 in 38.4 overs.

Number eight Charlie Dean rescued the innings with 47 not out after England collapsed to 106-7, adding 67 for the eighth wicket with Sophie Ecclestone.

South Africa were boosted by the return of all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, who was rested for the preceding T20 series and delivered a new-ball masterclass to take England’s first three wickets.

Sophia Dunkley was a late inclusion at the top of the order after Maia Bouchier injured her neck in the warm-up, and was caught behind for four before Tammy Beaumont was bowled for 11 and Nat Sciver-Brunt was lbw for a duck.

Heather Knight’s 40 led a brief revival before it was left to Dean and Ecclestone to show some resistance, with Dean matching her career-best score after her partner was brilliantly caught by Nadine de Klerk for 17.

South Africa’s batters also struggled to score fluently, but they withstood the threat of spinner Ecclestone by playing cautiously through her miserly spell of 0-29, and Wolvaardt’s willingness to grind out the runs proved the difference.

The second of three ODIs takes place in Durban on Sunday.

Having been so dominant in the T20 series against a depleted South Africa, England were always going to face a a tougher assignment in the ODIs considering the returns of Kapp and seamer Ayabonga Khaka.

Kapp showed her side exactly what they had missed with a relentless opening burst, swinging the ball prodigiously and rarely erring from a testing line and length that England’s top order could not withstand.

Dunkley wafted needlessly outside off stump, Beaumont walked down the pitch and played all around a straight one and Sciver-Brunt was trapped plumb lbw to her third delivery.

After Danni Wyatt-Hodge was also pinned in front for 11 by De Klerk and Amy Jones was caught on the boundary for 21, Knight showed how to approach the slow surface, playing late and waiting for the loose ball.

However, a shrewd review from South Africa led to England’s captain being given out after a missed sweep, when then had barely been an appeal on the field.

With England on 91-6, Wolvaardt appeared to miss a trick by overlooking Kapp, who still had six overs to go, and kept bowling her spinners because of the variable bounce.

But Dean and Ecclestone looked at ease, happy to rotate the strike for the most sensible passage of play that England managed.

South Africa were guilty of letting the game drift at times, but recovered to wrap up the tail promptly, with Dean left stranded short of her fifty.