BLOEMFONTEIN: England women registered their first Test win in a decade with their biggest victory by the margin of runs after they defeated South Africa by 286 runs here at the Mangaung Oval on Tuesday.
England, who won their last Test against Australia in 2014, bundled out South Africa for a mere 64 – their lowest total in the format – in the second innings after setting up a target of 351.
Pace bowler Lauren Bell claimed a career-best 4-49 in the first innings and then improved on that with 4-27 in the second.
Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Filer also joined Bell to help England bowl out South Africa in only 19.4 overs and seal victory within three days.
"It's amazing: my first Test win, and we've worked really hard as a team over the last three days," said Bell, the Player of the Match.
"It's a work in progress but performances like that give me a lot of confidence that I'm moving in the right direction. The other seamers and the spinners did a great job. It was a team effort."
England had opted to bat first and declared their first innings on 395/9 on day one as debutant Maia Bouchier (126) and veteran Nat Sciver-Brunt (128) stitched together a superb 174-run partnership.
In the second innings, England started with a 114-run lead and ended up with 236 all out, thanks to captain Heather Knight, who played a spirited knock of 90.
"Nice to get some time in the middle. Not my most fluent. Obviously to put the game out of reach for the Saffas (South African bowlers) and put some time in their legs was important," said Knight.
Nonkululeko Mlaba was the pick of the South African bowlers with 10 for 157 in the match, including a six-wicket haul in the second innings.
