England seal 3-0 series win

England 183 for 5 (Greenway 63, Knight 55*) beat South Africa 181 (Hodgkinson 34, Knight 2-15) by five wickets
Scorecard

England Women claimed a series whitewash with a five-wicket victory over South Africa at Senwes Park.

Charlotte Edwards won the toss and inserted South Africa for the final match of the one-day international series. Jenny Gunn ensured the hosts could not settle in the middle as she trapped Shandre Fritz in front leaving South Africa on 39 for 1 in the eighth over.

Tight spells from Danielle Hazell and Laura Marsh built the pressure in the middle and set things up for Arran Brindle (2 for 20) and Heather Knight (2 for 15) to force a middle order collapse. Brindle and Knight took four wickets in 24 balls as South Africa struggled to build the runs and were left on 103 for 6 after 28 overs.

Having opened the attack, Georgia Elwiss returned in the final overs to claim her first international wicket as Sunette Loubser was caught behind by Tammy Beaumont. Four balls later the hosts were reduced to 144 for 8 through the quick hands of Beaumont. Sarah Taylor then claimed the run-out of Denisha Devnarain and with five balls remaining South Africa hung on to post a total of 181 for 9 from their 50 overs.

As England set about the chase they suffered a setback losing both Edwards and Danielle Wyatt in the first five overs. Edwards was bowled round her legs and Wyatt was caught as she scooped to mid-off.

Taylor attempted to rebuild with Lydia Greenway but was caught behind trying to glance to third man, then in the following over Brindle went leg before wicket, leaving England on 42 for 4.

Fifteen overs in Knight joined Greenway to resurrect the innings and put on a solid 87-run partnership before Player-of-the-Series Greenway was caught trying to scoop over mid-off.

Knight went on to knock off the runs with Gunn in an unbeaten partnership of 54 as England claimed a five-wicket victory with seven overs to spare.

"It was a good win, great to finish the series three nil, another good team performance," Knight said. "I enjoyed going into the new role of batting at No. 6 and it was good to get some runs. It was brilliant to bat out there with Jenny and Lydia and I was pleased to be able to finish the game off. It was a good feeling to get my first not out for England.

"Arran and I established a good partnership in the middle, I think she bowled really well and I backed her up. It was pleasing to get a couple of wickets."

"It's great to win the series three nil, that's what we came out here to do so I'm really pleased," captain Edwards said. "It was our best bowling and fielding performance of the trip so far and I thought we stuck at it with the bat. Although we lost early wickets Heather Knight and Lydia put on a really good partnership.

"People have stood up, especially the bowlers, who have got better and better throughout the trip which bodes well for the Twenty20 series. We'll take momentum from this as we move into the Twenty20 series on Thursday, which I'm sure will be a high-scoring affair."

England play the first Twenty20 of the three-match series against South Africa on Thursday October 27.