A better over from Ayanda Hlubi but the one time she does lose her line, the ball flicks off Maia Bouchier's pad and runs away for four leg byes.

Those are the only runs from the over but England are off to a rollicking start, albeit with a scare or two.

Huge mix-up between Maia Bouchier and Tammy Beaumont - and both batters end up stranded in the middle of the pitch.

The throw goes to Bouchier's end but Sune Luus misses the stumps and England get away with another one.

The Statman Cometh:, external England have not won a Test in their last 9 matches (L4, D5). Their last win was at the WACA in 2014.

Good over from Marizanne Kapp with just a pair of singles from it.

The South Africa seamer is targeting the stumps, really challenging the England openers and ensuring any slight mistake will likely bring their demise.

Bowled and lbw both in play. And Kapp will doubtless argue she should already have had one lbw call go her way...

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

It's a big moment for Maia Bouchier. The ball does go soft and it will get easier to bat later on but I'm expecting it to be hard for England in the first hour or so here.

Ayanda Hlubi shares the new ball and Tammy Beaumont works a single from the first ball of the over.

That brings Maia Bouchier on strike, she saw out the last ball of Marizanne Kapp's over and defends solidly here, too.

The moment she has been waiting for comes fourth ball of the over, overpitched by Hlubi and Bouchier drives through mid-on for her first Test runs on debut. Four of them.

Four more next ball after a gift from Hlubi. A leg stump full toss that Bouchier gratefully slaps over mid-wicket.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

I am glad this has happened because it shows how much you need DRS. Heather Knight said she was disappointed that it wasn't in this game, but she'll be laughing in the dressing room now.

Replays show Tammy Beaumont's bat was nowhere near the ball on that lbw shout so I have no idea how she has got away with that one.

But having done so, the England opener clips another ball off her pads for four.

An eventful first over and the lack of DRS, already a talking point, immediately to the fore.

Henry Moeran
Test Match Special commentator

This looks so out, it is absolutely stone dead. But we will never know if she hit it or not.

What a response from Marizanne Kapp and she can't believe that she hasn't got a wicket.

A full, straight ball and it raps Tammy Beaumont on the front pad as she lunges forward.

It looks as plumb as they come but the umpire is unmoved and there is no DRS in this match.

Beaumont survives. Somehow...

England are up and running with a boundary.

On the pads and Tammy Beaumont whips it away behind square for four.

Anthems done, the players make their way out to the middle.

Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier are the England openers with Marizanne Kapp - who else? - set to take the new ball for South Africa.

Image source, Getty Images

Ryana MacDonald-Gay might only be 20, but she's been on England's radar for quite some time.

The all-rounder, who was born in Kent, has been a regular presence in The Hundred for Oval Invincibles and has caught the eye for South East Stars.

She is one of those multi-talented sportspeople, telling Sam Dalling in 2023 that she played every sport you can imagine growing up.

"I even played some rogue ones, like korfball - I played that to quite a high level as well," she said.

"Slowly, I started knocking things off, narrowing in on hockey and cricket."

Read more here.

The teams walk out at Mangaung Oval ahead of the 150th women's Test. It is England's first in South Africa since 1961.

Time for the anthems.

England: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight (c), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Amy Jones (wk), Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell.

South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Anneke Bosch, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Tumi Sekhukhune, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayanda Hlubi.

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt: “I haven’t won tosses a lot in my career! We would’ve chose to bat as well. The pitch looks like the nicest time to bat would be late this afternoon or tomorrow so the first hour might be a bit tough for us. We’ll see if we can get some wickets with new ball.

“We have learnt lessons and I’ve got experience from the three Test matches I’ve played. The more time we spend in this format, the more we’ll learn. We saw glimpses of it in India, learning how to bat for long periods of time, so hopefully we can apply a bit of that today.

“We have five seamers and three spinners so we have a lot of bowling options which is nice.”

England captain Heather Knight: "Wasn't a clear cut decision but I think the pitch will be pretty good. It might do a bit early so we'll have to manage that well. But it might not so we're going to try and put a big score on the board.

"Kate Cross isn't available, she didn't pull up too well yesterday so Ryana MacDonald-Gay comes in to make her debut.

"Really exciting for her. She's made her T20 and ODI debuts in Ireland this year, I've been really impressed by her attitude, how she goes about things and her skill level as well.

"We've got lots of options playing two spinners and four seamers. Ideally, we put a big score on the board and use the bowlers as we see fit as the pitch changes throughout the game."

Heather Knight calls 'heads' and heads it is. The England skipper opts to have a bat first and confirms Kate Cross is not fit after suffering a back spasm in the third ODI on Wednesday.

That means Ryana MacDonald-Gay comes in to make her Test debut.

Good morning!

After 22 years away, women's Test cricket returns to South Africa as the Proteas take on England in Bloemfontein. It should be quite the occasion.

The home side will be looking to hit back after England beat them in both the T20 and ODI series, winning five of the six matches.

While for Heather Knight's side, this is a chance to claim England's first Test victory since 2014.