Dean sets up big win as England complete 3-0 sweep

A powerful bowling performance in Centurion helped England register their fourth clean sweep in a T20I series, with a thumping victory against South Africa on Saturday.

England's bowlers were led by Charlie Dean as they restricted the hosts to 124. Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell took three wickets in the first four overs before Dean struck twice. South Africa were reduced to 45 for 5 inside eight overs and limped to an under-par total.

England's openers Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Maia Bouchier attacked from the start in the chase. Wyatt-Hodge brought up her second successive half-century to hand South Africa a thrashing. It was only the second time that South Africa had been whitewashed at home in women's T20Is.

It did not help South Africa that they were without captain Laura Wolvaardt, who was ruled out due to illness. They also rested their other regular opener Tazmin Brits and their leading spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba.

England got the perfect start after opting to bowl. Filer struck with the second ball of the match to dismiss Anneke Bosch. Aiming for an inswinging yorker, Filer delivered a low full toss at 121.1kph to Bosch, who swiped across the line and was bowled. From the other end, Bell also struck with her second ball, bouncing out Faye Tunnicliffe for 1.

Annerie Dercksen, batting at No. 3, played her shots on the flat pitch in Centurion. She hit Filer for successive boundaries before scoring two more off Bell in the fourth over. But while trying to flick a full ball angling down leg, she got a leading edge to mid-on and South Africa slowed down further after her dismissal.

One of Dean's biggest strengths - her ability to stay calm under pressure - was on display in Centurion. She was struck for three fours by Sune Luus - inside-out over cover, an edge through slips, and a pull behind square - but bounced back by getting her to miscue one to cover. South Africa were 42 for 4 after six overs.

That became 45 for 5 when Dean had Chloe Tryon, South Africa's stand-in captain, chipping to cover again in her next over. She then dismissed the dangerous Nadine de Klerk at the death to finish with figures of 3 for 26. Despite going for 12 in her opening over, Dean bowled 14 dots in her four-over spell spread across the three phases.

South Africa were in trouble when Tryon became the fifth batter to fall by the eighth over. The aim for Nondumiso Shangase and de Klerk was to deny England further openings and consolidate. Shangase eventually ended the boundary drought after five overs.

She scored a couple of fours through the backward square-leg region, pulling when Freya Kemp strayed with her line and length. De Klerk then attacked the disciplined Dean by charging and hitting her over cover. Shangase gave Kemp the charge again to bring up the 50-run partnership with de Klerk.

Shangase's dismissal, however, came at a bad time for South Africa and slowed them down. She looked to turn one to the leg side but the ball deflected off her pad to wicketkeeper Amy Jones, who whipped the bails off before Shangase could ground her foot. De Klerk also fell a couple of overs later and South Africa's innings ended with a whimper.

Despite their early exit from the T20 World Cup earlier this year, England captain Heather Knight insisted they would continue to back their aggressive approach. Their batters have focussed on attacking more in the powerplay and they did so again in Centurion. Following scores of 42 and 48 respectively in the first two games, England scored 61 in the powerplay this time.

Bouchier took the initiative first, targeting Eliz-Mari Marx in the third over of the chase that cost South Africa 20. She hit five fours and a six, and Wyatt-Hodge was on only 12 off 13 when Bouchier fell. The experienced opener then scored 41 off her next 18 balls - hitting Tumi Sekhukhune and Luus for successive boundaries. She also tonked Shangase for a six and a four before lofting Tryon over cover to bring up her fifty and complete England's victory.