Seventeen-year-old debutant Freya Kemp took two wickets as England cruised to a third successive T20 international victory over South Africa by 38 runs.
The teenager finished with two for 18 at Derby after Sophie Ecclestone had blasted 26 off the final over of her side’s innings to set the South Africans 177 to win.
England ended the multi-format series unbeaten and in good form five days before they launch their Commonwealth Games campaign.
Sophia Dunkley’s departure for a first-ball duck brought Alice Capsey to the crease significantly earlier than she might have expected, but the 17-year-old showed few signs of nerves as she hit a 17-ball 25 before being caught off the bowling of Nonkululeko Mlaba.
Skipper Nat Sciver, deputising for the injured Heather Knight, and Danni Wyatt had put on 45 for the third wicket when Sciver was bowled for 24 by Mlaba, and it was 86 for four a ball later when Wyatt was dismissed in similar fashion by Chloe Tryon having reached 30.
Maia Bouchier was run out for 18 and Amy Jones followed, caught on the boundary for 28, but Ecclestone plundered 26 from Masabata Klaas’ final over, a haul which included two sixes and three fours, to finish unbeaten on 33 from just 12 balls.
Left-armer Mlaba’s career-best three for 22 was the stand-out bowling performance, but England’s total of 176 for six looked challenging.
Lara Goodall became Issy Wong’s first T20 international victim from the fourth delivery of the tourists’ reply when she was bowled for two, and Kemp had opener Aneke Bosch stumped for 17 to match Wong’s feat and leave South Africa on 57 for two.
Laura Wolvaardt’s departure for 13 saw them slip to 84 for three, and although Tazmin Brits reached 50, she fell to Kemp nine runs later before Capsey and Ecclestone accounted for Mignon Du Preez and Tryon respectively.
