England on brink of early exit after defeat by South Africa

The result, which acts as another blow to the reigning champions' hopes of retaining their crown, means a third straight World Cup defeat for England, the first time that has happened in the history of the tournament

Mount Maunganui: England 235-9, South Africa 236-7 - South Africa win by three wickets

South Africa inflicted further misery on England, who stand at the brink of an early exit, by clinching a tense victory over Heather Knight's side at Mount Maunganui.

The result, which acts as another blow to the reigning champions' hopes of retaining their crown, means a third straight World Cup defeat for England, the first time that has happened in the history of the tournament.

The Proteas, captained by Sune Luus, were indebted to the all-round efforts of Marizanne Kapp, who claimed five wickets with the ball before guiding her side to the brink of home with the bat, and to Laura Wolvaardt, who struck 77 as she led her country's highest-ever successful run-chase at a World Cup.

Wolvaardt's knock, easy on the eye and full of high-class strokes all around the wicket, also symbolised one of the roots of England's struggles in this competition: their fielding. She was dropped by Tammy Beaumont and Kate Cross, while Amy Jones missed a straightforward stumping chance against her.

England had previously only failed to defend a score in excess of 200 once before at a World Cup, against Sri Lanka nine years ago. But they were in danger as soon as South Africa made early inroads against an out-of-form top order that faced a reshuffle, with Lauren Winfield-Hill left out.

Danni Wyatt, pushed up to open in her absence from her finisher's role, slapped the 12th ball of the match straight into Wolvaardt's midriff at point, before Knight was bowled via inside edge as she looked to leave Kapp, who rarely departed from the corridor of uncertainty in a fine new-ball spell.

England rebuilt through Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver but lost the key allrounder in circumstances that just about summed up their tournament. She missed a pull shot but managed, in her follow-through, to deflect the ball with the back of her bat into the hands of Lizelle Lee at slip.

^{England lost their third close game in a row, following defeats against Australia and West Indies (John Cowpland/AFP via Getty Images)}

Nonetheless, Beaumont continued in the calm manner that has become her calling card in 50-over cricket. With Jones, who came into the game desperately short on runs, she added 107 for the fourth wicket before the impressive Masabata Klaas trapped her on the crease for 62. Four overs later, Jones (53) was gone too – run out by Kapp as she took on an ambitious single.

Kapp then completed her haul – the first of her international career – by deceiving Sophia Dunkley, Kate Cross and Katherine Brunt with slower balls, as England finished on 235 for 9.

In reply, Lee fell early, castled by Anya Shrubsole as she aimed something violent into the legside. And the powerplay ought to have brought further success, only for poor drops from Beaumont at point and Cross off her own bowling to hand further lives to Wolvaardt, a player hardly in need of extra assistance.

Tazmin Brits proved a useful ally; initially brittle, she opened her shoulders and hit four firm boundaries to put the pressure back on England, for whom Brunt was too short and expensive. When Brits mis-pulled to fine leg, Luus took up the mantle, taking the score to 147 for 2 before she was expertly stumped by Jones, for whom that counted as some consolation after a pair of earlier misses.

Wolvaardt fell shortly afterwards but much of the damage was already done: Mignon du Preez (8) and Chloe Tryon (15) both came and went as South Africa continued their charge, and it was left to Kapp – already a hero with the ball – to finish the job with the bat. She was trapped by Shrubsole with 10 still needed but Trisha Chetty and Shabnim Ismail completed the win in the final over, with England left to stare at the grim reality of a premature end to their defence.