ENGLAND'S World Cup-winning women got brought down to earth with a bump in a seven-wicket defeat to South Africa at New Road.

Katherine Brunt did all she could to save the day for the hosts, racking up 72 not out to convert 97 for eight into 189 for nine.

Hope was garnered when South Africa made a horror start at five for two but Lizelle Lee's unbeaten 92 guided the tourists to 193 for three with more than four overs to spare.

Lee shared 113 with captain Dane van Niekerk (58) and an undefeated 75 with Mignon du Preez (36*), surviving Brunt's catch in the process. Replays showed she should have gone.

It was South Africa's first one-day international win against England since 2003 and the home side's third defeat in four matches in the ICC's Women's Championship as they look to secure qualification for the 2021 World Cup.

"It was really gutting to lose like that because we're a much better team than we showed," said Brunt.

"We played a few soft shots and were on the back foot from the beginning. Congratulations to South Africa, though, they played really well.

"I always love to bowl first, I like to steam out and get my thing done. I didn't think there was much in it and the wicket played the way it did the whole day.

"You can always come back stronger and that's what we're going to do. We need to get rid of some nerves. We'll stay on the front foot and come out fighting next game."

Number seven Brunt had stopped the rot after England had fallen to 39 for four and 64 for six and found willing allies in Laura Marsh and Sophie Ecclestone.

Clever running inched the score upwards and, when she reached her second ODI half-century, Brunt found the boundary with more regularity. The final three overs yielded 33 runs.

Her ninth-wicket stand with Marsh was worth 51 and the unbroken partnership with number 11 Ecclestone added a further 41 to give England something to bowl at.

Brunt's 98-ball stay yielded eight fours and left her with her highest one-day international score.

Overall, it proved a disappointing return home for the world champions, who had not played in England for almost a year.

The second ODI of the three-match series is in Hove on Tuesday.