SOUTH AFRICA’s tour of Australia has gotten off to a bad start, after they lost to the Governor-General’s XI in a warm up match in Sydney yesterday.

After South Africa only posted 7/149 from its 20 overs, the Governor-General’s XI reached the target with four balls to spare to pick up a four wicket win.

The South African innings could not have gotten off to a much worse start, losing their first wicket on ball four of the innings with only one run on the board.

Things did not really get going for the South Africans until the fourth wicket, when Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon put on 68 run partnership. However that would be the one significant partnership, as the only other partnership of any decent size was the 38 run seventh wicket.

Nadine de Klerk was the top scorer for the South Africans with 48 not out, while Tryon made 39 and Luus made 31.

Meanwhile for the Australians Chloe Ainsworth and Courtney Sippel were the pick of the bowlers with two wickets each.

In reply the Governor-General’s XI got off to a much better start, putting on a 61 run partnership before it lost its first wicket, but it was not long before South Africa struck again, claiming a second wicket only five balls later.

However, the very next combination was much better for the hosts with Victorian duo Sophie Molineux and Tess Flintoff putting on a 66 run partnership. But then again the wobbles returned with the next three wickets falling for only 10 runs.

It went down to the wire, but the hosts ultimately prevailed with four balls to spare.

Molineux made 59 while Flintoff made 42, while for South Africa Masabata Klaas took three wickets and Ayabonga Khaka took two wickets.