England bowled South Africa out for just 69 as they made a winning start to their Women’s World Cup campaign with a ruthless 10-wicket thrashing in Guwahati.

Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith was the pick of the bowlers with 3-7, claiming the prized wickets of Laura Wolvaardt, in-form opener Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp.

Sinalo Jafta was the only batter to reach double figures in a dismal batting performance which saw the Proteas bundled out for their third-lowest ODI total in just 20.4 overs.

Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt took 2-5 in her first competitive bowling spell since the Ashes, while spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean also picked up two wickets apiece.

Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont then cruised to their target in 14.1 overs, having started somewhat cautiously on a tricky surface, finishing with 40 and 21 respectively.

It was a bizarre performance from South Africa on a pitch that offered a little assistance to the spinners, but far from anything extravagant, as they simply had no answers to England’s consistency.

Captain Wolvaardt was caught and bowled for five in the second over, Brits and Kapp were bowled for five and four respectively, and Sune Luus was cleaned up by Lauren Bell.

Sciver-Brunt trapped Anneke Bosch lbw with her first ball as South Africa stuttered to 38-5 after the 10-over powerplay before Dean and Ecclestone comfortably cleaned up the middle and lower order.

It could prove to be a crucial win for England, giving them a significant net run-rate boost before their second game against Bangladesh on Tuesday when there is the possibility of rain.