Taylor and Colvin dispatch South Africa

England 254 for 6 (SC Taylor 83, SJ Taylor 56) beat South Africa 133 (Anderson 35, Chetty 33* Colvin 3-17) by 121 runs
Scorecard

	Claire Taylor swings hard during her impressive 83 © Christopher Lee

England eased to a comprehensive 121-run trouncing of South Africa in the first women's ODI at Canterbury. Led by a fine performance from Holly Colvin, England's slow-left-armer who took 3 for 17 in her ten overs, England dismissed South Africa for just 133 in defence of 255, winning with more than eight overs to spare.

Impressive though Colvin was, the batsmen set up England's victory. Sarah Taylor and Caroline Atkins put on 99 for the first wicket in good time - Taylor dominating the partnership with a brisk 56 before she chipped a return catch back to Sunette Loubser. Loubser gave further indication of the assistance available to the spinners by removing Atkins in identical fashion.

England had slipped to 109 for 2, but in strode Claire Taylor and Charlotte Edwards, the captain, who put on another 99-run stand for the third wicket. Taylor was at her dominant best, cracking seven fours in a blistering 83 from 70 balls. Edwards, meanwhile, was no less urgent at the crease in her 44-ball 38, though benefited from two dropped catches and she became Ashlyn Kilowan's first wicket when she spooned another return catch. Taylor was run out shortly afterwards as South Africa chipped away, but they faced a daunting target of 255.

Katherine Brunt leaked 28 in her seven overs, but Isa Guha removed Cri-zelda Brits and Annelie Minny in quick succession. South Africa were tottering on 37 for 3, but it was the introduction of Colvin's canny spin which did for the tourists, and she removed Alicia Smith, Shandre Fritz and Loubser during her impressively economical spell. The only batsman to stand in England's way was the young wicketkeeper, Trisha Chetty, who was left high and dry on 33 but Edwards cleaned up the tail to record an emphatic victory.

The second one-dayer gets underway on Friday at Lord's.