Rain saved South Africa from defeat as their first ODI between the West Indies and the Proteas at the Wanderers on Friday evening was washed out.
Needing a Duckworth/Lewis/Stern revised target of 204 in 29 overs after two rain breaks terminated the West Indies' innings on 234/3 after 45.3 overs, South Africa limped to 87/5 in 17.4 overs before the heavens opened for a third and final time to end the game.
Mignon du Preez (19*) and Sinalo Jafta were the batters when the clouds unleashed their load, much to the disappointment of the visitors, who had bowled themselves into an impregnable position.
Having watched the West Indies make a sizeable total on the back of Deandra Dottin's superb 150* that was interrupted by the second rain delay, the loss of Laura Wolvaardt (6) to Shamilia Connell (1/12) off the first ball of the third over cut SA's chase at the knees.
With the West Indian bowlers generating the seam movement that was absent for the Proteas bowlers, Connell castled Wolvaardt with an inducker that left SA struggling at 12/1.
The asking rate was already at seven to the over when the chase started and things didn't become easy when Lara Goodall (14) was bowled by the excellent Hayley Matthews (2/28) as SA moved to 41/2 in the ninth over.
The chase became harder when set batter Tamsin Brits (33), picked out Chedean Nation at long-on off Karishma Ramharack (2/18) as South Africa struggled to 60/3 in the 13th over.
Matthews and Ramharack tried to get through the overs and while the latter trapped Sune Luus (6) plumb in front to effectively end SA challenge at 63/4 in the 14th over, they needed to get through to the 20 overs to get a result.
They tried their best, with Chloe Tryon (6) falling to Ramharack, but the clouds, despite hiding in the night-time darkness, never went away and had the final say.
While the weather disappointed the West Indies, their total was a more than satisfactory one, especially after losing captain Stafanie Taylor to a freak injury.
Dottin carried the team with her third ODI ton and was well supported by Matthews (51) as they combined for a 186-run stand that helped rescue the visitors from 27/2 after 10 overs.
The second of four ODIs will take place at the Wanderers on Monday.
