England women ease to seven-wicket win

England's women cemented their standing as one of the favourites to win this month's World Cup, which gets underway on March 22, by easing to a seven-wicket victory in the first of two warm-up matches against the hosts, South Africa, at Manzil Park in Klerksdorp. Chasing a sub-par target of 183, England were carried to the brink of victory by Claire Taylor, who made 94, and their captain, Clare Connor, who sealed the match with an unbeaten 53.

After winning the toss, Connor put her faith in her bowlers and chose to bowl first. They didn't make immediate inroads into a dogged South African batting line-up, however, and it wasn't until the 12th over that Daleen Terblanche was prised from the crease by England's new fast-bowling find, Katherine Brunt. Brunt has one Test to her name, but has yet to play in a full one-day international.

Terblanche made 4 from 32 balls, and that set the tone for a stodgy South African innings. Even their 15-year-old wondergirl, Johmari Logtenberg, was unable to up the tempo - her 25 came from 47 balls, and was ended when England's spinner, Rosalie Birch, held onto the second of her two return catches.

Birch was the pick of the English bowlers, taking 3 for 29 from her 10 overs, although Lucy Pearson, with 2 for 24, was every bit as much of a threat. At 127 for 7, England envisaged an even easier run-chase, but South Africa's eighth-wicket pairing of Angelique Taai (22 not out) and Charlize van der Westhuizen (25 not out) batted sensibly in an unbeaten 55-run partnership.

England's reply started shakily, as Alicia Smith struck twice in her first four overs to remove Charlotte Edwards for 0 and Laura Newton for 8, but Connor and Taylor added 152 for the third wicket to break the back of the run-chase.