Watch highlights of England's innings, including Lauren Winfield's excellent knock
By Callum Dent & Glen Robertson
Lauren Winfield struck a brilliant 74 before some exceptional work in the field helped England Women complete a series whitewash against South Africa.
Winfield hit nine fours and the series' first six before falling to Chloe Tryon as England posted 126 for six in the third and final NatWest International T20 at Edgbaston.
And despite a good start from South Africa openers Dane van Niekerk and Trisha Chetty, superb fielding from Lydia Greenway, Natalie Sciver and Sarah Taylor ensured the tourists came up eight runs short in their chase.
Winfield's knock lasted 60 deliveries and her runs accounted for more than half of England's total. Greenway, with 19 not out, was the only other home player to reach double figures as the hosts secured a clean sweep in the three-match series following victories at the Essex County Ground and Wantage Road.
But England's total was more than the tourists had managed so far in the tour and, despite posting three figures for the first time, they were unable to record their first win over England in a T20.
It could have been different had England's fielding not been on song.
After van Niekerk was caught short of the crease by some quick thinking from Winfield – ending an opening stand of 59 – South Africa went on to lose two more wickets through run-outs, one from a brilliant stumping from Taylor and a terrific catch by Greenway.
Greenway started it off in the 16th over, sliding well to stop Chetty's shot reaching the boundary before flicking the ball to Sciver, whose direct-hit from the rope sent the South African opener on her way.
The next ball, Mignon du Preez pulled towards the deep square-leg boundary but Greenway was well placed to take a leaping catch above her head.
In the next over, Tryon set off for a quick single but Greenway's throw was athletically taken behind the stumps by Taylor, who then flicked the bails off before Marizanne Kapp could make her ground.
Tryon and Bernadine Bezuidenhout put on a quickfire 25 to take South Africa within sight of a historic victory, but the latter – batting out of her crease – played and missed against Katherine Brunt and Taylor pounced again with a stumping.
The tourists needed 13 from the final over, but Jenny Gunn provided six impressive deliveries that yielded just four singles and secured England a 3-0 success.
See the best bits of South Africa's reply as England closed out the game
Live Scorecard / Follow ECB_cricket on Twitter
Post-Match Presentation
1.40pm - Lauren Winfield is player of the match for her international-best 74.
She said: “I’ve had a few starts so it’s nice to go on and make more of an impact.
“There’s a lot of competition for places and I’m glad I took my chance today.”
Winfield struck the series’ sole six and reflected: “It was a bit agricultural but they all count.”
England captain Charlotte Edwards, who hit unbeaten fifties in the previous two games, is player of the series.
Edwards said: “South Africa bowled and fielded well there but our experience counted in the end.”
She added: “I’m really pleased for Lauren Winfield at the top of the order to go out and play as she did.”
South Africa skipper Mignon du Preez said: “It’s very disappointing but I think we’ve shown major improvement from day one.”
South Africa Innings
.@GunnJenny outstanding final over wins the final NatWest IT20 by 8 runs for the #EngWomenpic.twitter.com/qucYQWgOp7
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 7, 2014
1.20pm - ENGLAND WIN BY EIGHT RUNS AND COMPLETE A 3-0 SERIES WIN; South Africa 117/6 Tryon 16 Luus 2 - An exceptional last over from Gunn. South Africa pass 100 for the first time this series but they come up eight runs short. England complete a series whitewash, with their superb fielding proving to be the difference at Edgbaston.
1.19pm - Two dots in the first three deliveries for Gunn, with just one run conceded.
13 required from the final over...
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 7, 2014
1.17pm - WICKET! Bezuidenhout st Taylor b Brunt 12; SA 114/6 - A bit of luck for South Africa, with Bernadine Bezuidenhout's inside edge off Brunt somehow missing her stumps and racing away for four. Bezuidenhout then takes a much-more conventional four, pulling to the deep backward square-leg fence. A top-edge then lands safely at square-leg, before Tryon is denied another four by Sciver. Another single follows before a welcome wicket as Bezuidenhout - standing outside her crease, plays and misses and Taylor does the rest.
1.13pm - Chloe Tryon picks up the tourists' first boundary in a while off Shrubsole. They'll need a few more in the final two overs, with 25 needed to win.
1.04pm - WICKET! Kapp run out (Greenway) 1; 89/5 - This could be the best piece of fielding yet. Greenway's throw is taken brilliantly by Sarah Taylor, who then whips the bails off before Marizanne Kapp can get her bat over the line. England's sharpness in the field has swung this game heavily in their favour.
Pretty sure Lydia Greenway is the best fielder in cricket! @ECB_cricket
— Ken Adams (@gareth_bell) September 7, 2014
12.59pm - WICKET! du Preez c Greenway b Gunn 3; 86/4 - More brilliant work from Greenway, who leaps to take a catch on the deep midwicket boundary to get rid of the South Africa skipper.
12.57pm - WICKET! Chetty run out (Sciver) 34; 86/3 - Absolutely superb fielding from England. Greenway dives to stop a boundary and instinctively flicks the ball up to Sciver, who manages a direct-hit from right on the rope to send Chetty on her way.
Five overs left then and we're set for an exciting conclusion at Edgbaston as South Africa require 45 runs off 30 balls. 82-2 #EngWomen
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 7, 2014
12.51pm - WICKET! Lee lbw b Gunn 9; 77/2 - Gunn strikes to remove Lizelle Lee, who was trapped plumb in front of her stumps. South Africa skipper Mignon du Preez enters the arena to try and take her country to victory.
Tense finish in store here at Edgbaston with SA women requiring 56 from 42 balls. 71-1 (13ovs) #engvsa
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 7, 2014
12.45pm - Excellent over from Gunn, who concedes just two runs. South Africa, on 63 for one, need 64 from 48 deliveries to win.
12.39pm - WICKET! van Niekerk run out (Winfield) 35; SA 59/1 - How England needed that! South Africa go for a single that wasn't really on and Winfield reacts quickly to throw to the non-striker's end, where Hazell removes the bails with van Niekerk stranded.
12.33pm - We have spin from both ends and the boundaries have dried up, but Chetty and van Niekerk are rotating the strike well. Five singles and a double come from a Hazell over, taking the tourists to 52 without loss after nine.
South Africa finish their six powerplay overs on 38-0. #EngWomen were 39-1 at same stage.
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 7, 2014
12.25pm - Now van Niekerk goes down the ground to Shrubsole, and the ball is just too high for a leaping Jenny Gunn at mid-on. That's the closest we have come to a wicket so far.
12.20pm - Van Niekerk loves the deep square-leg boundary. Danni Hazell is the latest to be sent there and South Africa are 28 without loss from five overs, van Niekerk having scored 20 of them.
12.15pm - Van Niekerk pulls for a boundary off Brunt, then trickles another to the deep midwicket fence where Shrubsole can not quite prevent a four. Charlotte Edwards discusses tactics with Shrubsole in an attempt to halt this South Africa charge.
12.08pm - Anya Shrubsole also concedes a boundary, as well as two wides, in her opening over. It's been a good start for the tourists, who are 11 without loss.
12.03pm - It was an excellent start to the over - five dot balls - but after the sixth was adjudged as a wide, van Niekerk pulled for four from the extra delivery.
11.59am - The tourists have yet to score over 100 in this series. They will have to if they are to avoid a series whitewash. Trisha Chetty and Dane van Niekerk are heading to the middle to start the chase. Katherine Brunt will open the bowling.
England Innings
11.45am - END OF INNINGS! Eng 126/6; Greenway 19, Gunn 2 - Jenny Gunn takes a single off the third ball, as does Greenway from the fourth. Gunn repeats the feat from the fifth, leaving Greenway on strike for the final delivery, but she can't make contact with the ball. South Africa need 127 for a consolation victory.
11.42am - WICKET! Wyatt b Ismail 0; Eng 123/6 - Wyatt tries to flick one over the wicketkeeper but misjudges the flight of the ball and is bowled by Ismail off the first ball of the over.
11.40am - WICKET! Knight st Chetty b Tryon 8; Eng 122/5 - Greenway sweeps down to the third-man boundary for four, then picks up another boundary through point, but Knight is then stumped off the penultimate ball of the over after chasing a wide one. Danni Wyatt picks up a leg-bye off the final ball, with England 123 for five with one over to go.
Two overs remaining in #EngWomen's innings, @lydiagreenway (9*) & @Heatherknight55 (4*) will be looking for a frenetic finish. 109-4
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 7, 2014
11.29am - WICKET! Winfield c Luus b Tryon 74; Eng 102/4 - The ball after the maximum, Chloe Tryon gets revenge as Winfield flicks one straight to Luus. She departs for a brilliant 74 that has given a perfect platform for Greenway and Heather Knight to go on the attack in the final four overs.
11.27am - Van Niekerk ends with figures of 1-16 after conceding five in her final over, and Winfield then goes on the attack. A four off Sune Luus is followed by the first six of the series, crunched over midwicket.
11.20am - Greenway and Winfield are happy to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over. The run-rate is currently six an over, as van Niekerk gets ready for her final set of six.
11.13am - WICKET! Sciver st Chetty b Van Niekerk 4; Eng 73/3 - Natalie Sciver comes down the wicket but is beaten by the spin of Dane van Niekerk and Trisha Chetty does the rest. Lydia Greenway joins Winfield at the crease.
11.10am - FIFTY! Winfield (43b 7x4 0x6) - Winfield moves to her maiden half-century in her 11th T20. A fine knock.
11.05am - WICKET! Taylor c Tryon b Letsoalo 9; Eng 64/2 - Taylor tries to go over extra-cover but picks out the fielder. Winfield's four towards long-off earlier in the over took the stand past 50.
40 - @lozwinfield (40*) has recorded her highest T20I score, in her 11th innings. Settled.
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) September 7, 2014
10.59am - Winfield collects a couple in the off side to take England to 50 and then clubs Moseline Daniels over short fine-leg for her sixth four. Daniels, appearing to be struggling with an injury, has figures of 0-15 from her four overs.
10.54am - A direct-hit would have run out Sarah Taylor there after Winfield calls for a single and then sends her back. The latter then guides Ismail past backward point for another boundary. England are well placed on 47 for one after seven overs.
10.47am - Lauren Winfield is starting to attack, lifting Marizanne Kapp over midwicket twice and then driving her down the ground for three fours in as many balls. Sixteen runs come from the fifth over.
An early blow for England as captain Edwards returns to the dug-out having made just 4. Eng 17-1 (3ovs) pic.twitter.com/Mr6IUSIodG
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 7, 2014
10.38am - WICKET! Edwards c Lee b Kapp 4; Eng 12/1 - Dangerwoman Edwards gets a leading edge and is well caught at mid-on. A huge boost for the Proteas.
10.32am - England's innings is up and running with back-to-back boundaries from the opening two balls. Four leg-byes are followed by Charlotte Edwards caressing a Shabnim Ismail full-toss through the covers.
Pre-Play News
10.20am - Katherine Brunt has returned to England colours over the last few weeks after a back injury sidelined her for some time. In a pre-match interview, the Yorkshirewomen said she is loving life back in the national side.
Here's the pitch at Edgbaston, looks like a good track. Charlotte Edwards' England Women's side will bat first pic.twitter.com/WY42qfQUTl
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 7, 2014
England: Charlotte Edwards (capt), Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor, Natalie Sciver, Lydia Greenway, Heather Knight, Danni Wyatt, Jenny Gunn, Danni Hazell, Katherine Brunt, Anya Shrubsole.
South Africa: Trisha Chetty, Dane van Niekerk, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Lizelle Lee, Mignon du Preez (capt), Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Sune Luus, Shabnim Ismail, Matshipi Marcia Letsoalo, Moseline Daniels.
10.02am - TOSS! - South Africa win the toss and elect to field.
10am - Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the third and final NatWest International T20 between England Women and South Africa at Edgbaston. Charlotte Edwards’ side are looking to end their summer schedule with a clean sweep over the Proteas following victories at the Essex County Ground and Wantage Road.
Good morning from a sun-soaked Edgbaston. We have a double-header for you today. First up, can Eng women make it 3-0? pic.twitter.com/JLjsLLiIZ4
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 7, 2014