Perth, Feb 23 (IANS): South Africa beat England by six wickets in a thriller to make a good start to their 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign. Migon Du Preez, who became the first South African woman to play 100 T20Is in this match, held her nerves to hit a six and a four in the third and fourth ball of the last over of the match to see her team through.

England were the favourites going into the match but South Africa restricted them to 123/8 with Ayabonga Khaka taking three wickets and skipper Dane Van Niekerk taking two. Natalie Sciver, who scored a 50, opener Amy Jones and Fran Wilson were the only players who managed to get to two digit figures for South Africa.

South Africa made a bad start to the chase with opener Lizelle Lee falling in the third over and they had only scored six runs by then. While England could not effectively capitalise on the start they got, South Africa never managed to pick up their run rate either and so the game went down to the last over with South Africa needing 10 to win with six wickets in hand. They got two runs off the first two balls before Du Preez hit a six and a four to finish the match.

Brief Scores: England 123/8 (Natalie Sciver 50, Alex Jones 23; Ayabonga Khaka 3/25) vs South Africa 127/4 (Dane Van Niekerk 46, Marizanne Kapp 38; Sophie Ecclestone 2/19)