Women's Test ends in draw as persistent rain prevents victory charge

England and South Africa take two points apiece into the limited-over leg of the multiformat series

Taunton: South Africa 284 & 181-5, England 417-8 dec - match drawn

Scorecard

Persistent rain ended England's hopes of forcing a victory in the one-off Test against South Africa, with the tourists losing just two wickets in the 43.1 overs possible at Taunton on Thursday.

A poor afternoon weather forecast was proven correct, with nightwatcher Tumi Sekhukhune making the second-highest score of her career and still unbeaten on 33 when the players left the field just 41 minutes after the start of a delayed second session in the face of some of the heaviest rain of the last two days.

Alongside her, Marizanne Kapp was not out on 43 – a brisk effort that featured eight boundaries and followed in the footsteps of Lizelle Lee, who had earlier made 36 before miscuing Sophie Ecclestone to Kate Cross. Lee had come to the crease after Sune Luus' rearguard was ended by Kate Cross, who trapped her in front as she walked across her stumps.

England had their chances: Tammy Beaumont missed a tough chance at short leg against Sekhukhune, while Sophie Ecclestone couldn't cling onto an easier one at second slip against the same batter. Amy Jones dropped Lee to her right as the home side – still looking for a first home Test win since 2005 – were left frustrated.

^{England couldn't take the chances that they created as the weather frustrated the hosts (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Heather Knight's decision to declare before lunch on Wednesday was vindicated by the stream of interruptions that followed, and there was a sense that they could have tried little more to force a result in conditions that favoured England's five seamers and never broke up – as had been predicted beforehand, with the exclusion of Charlie Dean by the home side – for spin to play a major part. Only four of the 23 wickets to fall went to spinners Ecclestone and Nonkululeko Mlaba.

Instead, there were three centuries – for Kapp, Nat Sciver and Alice Davidson-Richards – and impressive Test debuts for Issy Wong, Lauren Bell and Anneke Bosch with the ball. Emma Lamb, who came into the game without an international run in her three appearances, looked at home for her 38.

South Africa, though, could be mightily satisfied with their resolve, even if it was rain-assisted. They came into the Test without several key players: seamer Shabnim Ismail and vice-captain Chloe Tryon were ruled out on the eve of the country's first Test in eight years.

The teams take two points apiece, heading into the limited-over leg of the multiformat series.

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