Cape Town - West Indies got the T20 International series off to a winning start when they beat South Africa by 17 runs in a low scoring affair at Kensington Oval on Monday.

They go 1-0 up in the five-match series. 

South Africa did well to restrict the hosts to 124/6 at the end of their allotted overs after Windies captain Stefanie Taylor won the toss and elected to bat first. Player of the match Natasha McLean top scored with 38 runs from 41 deliveries while the second highest score came from Deandra Dottin who hit 22 from 19. 

Saarah Smith returned the best bowling figures by a South African debutant in a women’s T20 international with her 2/18 in three overs. Zintle Mali (2/24), Tumi Sekhukhune (1/12) and Marizanne Kapp (1/25) rounded off the rest of the wicket takers table. 

The Proteas' reply was once again marred by a batting collapse from the top order. Openers Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee were dismissed for eight and one respectively which put pressure on the middle order to fire under difficult circumstances.

Marizanne Kapp was the leading run scorer with 30 from 22 deliveries with only stand-in captain, Chloe Tryon (23 off 16), getting more than 20 runs. 

Taylor led the bowlers from the front, claiming 3/16 while Afy Fletcher provided good support with her 2/17. The visitors could only manage a disappointing 107/7 in the end.

The series now moves to the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad. South Africa will have three days to regroup before they take on the hosts in the second match this Friday.