The team who are also the host nation provide too strong for their opponents at the Pepsi Softball Centre in Whitehorse, despite an early scare when the South Africans levelled the score at 2-2.

However, Canada picked up their game to score eight unanswered runs to secure an opening victory.

The top ranked team in the world, New Zealand, started the championships with an emphatic 22-0 success over Turkey in a match shortened to three innings.

Second seeds Japan also got their campaign off to a successful start with a comfortable 7-0 win over Venezuela.

Argentina, the third highest ranked team at the tournament, claimed a 5-1 victory against the United States while Australia thrashed India 16-0.

The opening match of the championships proved to be an interesting affair as Botswana and Great Britain were forced to play an extra innings after neither could score a run in regulation time.

In the end, it was Moses Kgosimore who scored the crucial run for Botswana.

A tight game was also contested between Denmark and the Czech Republic, which the latter nation won 3-2.

The day’s other game saw the Dominican Republic crush Hong Kong 21-0.