Sophie Ecclestone all-round heroics give England T20I clean-sweep

Debutant left-arm seamer Freya Kemp took the wicket of Anneke Bosch to claim a maiden international scalp after Ecclestone had smashed 26 runs off the final over of England's innings

Derby: England 176-6, South Africa 138-6 - England win by 38 runs

Scorecard

England completed a clean sweep of the white-ball leg of their multiformat series against South Africa, winning comfortably at Derby.

The tourists were much improved for large parts of the evening, but Sophie Ecclestone took 26 runs off the final over of England's innings to give the hosts a match-winning total that South Africa – missing stand-in captain Sune Luus to illness – couldn't reel in.

Debutant left-arm seamer Freya Kemp took the wicket of Anneke Bosch to claim a maiden international scalp – at just 17, Kemp wasn't born when Katherine Brunt made her England debut in 2004. She was one of two teenagers on show for England, with Alice Capsey smashing 25 from No.3 after England, who won the toss and opted to bat, lost Sophia Dunkley to the first ball of the match.

Capsey fell exactly four overs later, caught at mid-off having hit five boundaries in an explosive powerplay – just as Lisa Keightley had requested of her new-look top order – and unusually Danni Wyatt provided the anchor role before playing over the top of a delivery from Chloe Tryon to be bowled. She fell one ball after Nat Sciver, deputising for Heather Knight, whose hip problem is being managed ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

^{Tazmin Brits made a half century for South Africa (Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)}

Sciver was sedate by her standards until being beaten by Nonkululeko Mlaba's arm-ball. England continued to tick over following her departure, with useful cameos from Amy Jones and Maia Bouchier, but Ecclestone's final-over antics – including two giant sixes over the legside – knocked the stuffing out of South Africa, for whom Masabata Klaas recorded the most expensive T20I figures in a women's match between two full-member nations.

In reply, Tazmin Brits made a battling half century in her first international innings since the tour of Ireland that preceded this series. She was initially left out of the squad but was called up following the departure of Marizanne Kapp for family reasons. Brits was supported by Bosch, who made 17, after Lara Goodall became Issy Wong's maiden T20I wicket, beaten by a quick inswinger that snuck between bat and pad.

Ecclestone's fine evening continued, trapping Laura Wolvaardt in front on the sweep, while Sarah Glenn was similarly economical on her return to her home ground, where she received a warm ovation.

She was rewarded with Mignon du Preez's wicket – caught at cover – in her final over, before Kemp had Brits caught in the deep. Fittingly, player of the series Ecclestone had the last word, bowling Tryon – batting far too low for South Africa to mount a competitive riposte – with the last ball of the match.

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