Brilliant centuries from Maia Bouchier and Nat Sciver-Brunt helped England pile up 395 on the opening day of their one-off Test against South Africa. Bouchier hit 126 on her Test debut, sharing in a 174-run partnership with Sciver-Brunt in Bloemfontein.
Sciver-Brunt also starred with the bat, hitting the fastest women’s Test hundred from 96 balls, finishing with a blistering 128 before being run out by Nonkululeko Mlaba. The Proteas spinner proved to be the pick of the bowlers and helped South Africa get a grip on the game in the evening session, where she took three wickets after tea to spark an England collapse before the tourists declared nine down.
South Africa openers Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch then successfully navigated the final six overs of the day to close on 17 without loss. After winning the toss, England opted to bat first and brought up their 50 without loss inside 11 overs. South Africa soon found the breakthrough in the following over when Tammy Beaumont was caught by Sune Luus off Ayanda Hlubi for 21, but Bouchier continued to impress alongside skipper Heather Knight for England to reach lunch on 103 for one.
The hosts struck again in the first over of the afternoon session when Tumi Sekhukhune dismissed Knight lbw for 20. Bouchier was joined in the middle by Sciver-Brunt and England continued to frustrate South Africa, who were unable to break the third-wicket alliance.
