South Africa defeats Ireland to notch up first win
South Africa, electing to bat in the day-night match, recovered from a middle-order collapse to score 156 for five and then restricted the minnow to 89 for nine.
Sune Luus, a 20-year-old leg-spinner, ran through the Irish innings to finish with spectacular figures of five for eight from her four overs.
South Africa, beaten by three-time defending champion Australia in its first match, is now level with Sri Lanka and the Southern Stars with two points each from as many games in Group A.
New Zealand leads the group with three straight wins, with South Africa in second place due to a superior net run-rate.
Ireland suffered its third consecutive defeat and is out of the race for the semi-finals.
South Africa's openers Dane van Niekerk (20) and Trisha Chetty (35) gave their team a solid start with a 41-run stand in 4.5 overs.
South Africa moved to 70 for one in 10 overs when Ireland hit back with three quick wickets to make it 84 for four in the 14th over.
The innings was lifted by an unbeaten 30 off 24 balls by Lizelle Lee and useful contributions from Dinesha Devnarain (24) and Chloe Tryon, who scored 20 not out off just seven deliveries with a six and two boundaries.
Opener Clare Shillington (34) and skipper Isobel Joyce (22) lifted Ireland to 64 for two in reply before the fall of three wickets for five runs messed up the chase.
South African captain Mignon du Preez said her team was delighted to get the first points on the board.
"It was a good team performance," she said. "The batters did well to give us a total of above 150, something we have not been able to do in the last few matches.
"And then what Luus achieved was something very special. She has worked really hard on her game which really paid off."
Irish skipper Isobel Joyce said South Africa was deserving winner.
"I think we competed well in the first 15 overs with both bat and ball, but after that South Africa turned the screws," she said. "We lost by a bigger margin than we should have."
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