ALYSSA HEALY of the Sixers bats during the Women's Big Bash League match between the Sydney Sixers and the Brisbane Heat at SCG in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Opener Alyssa Healy's run of outs has continued in Australia's last practice match before the Women's Twenty20 World Cup.

Healy made just nine as Australia defeated South Africa by four wickets on Tuesday at Adelaide's Karen Rolton Oval.

Set 148 runs to win, Australia reached 6-150 with three balls to spare.

Healy, after making just 19 runs from five innings in the recent tri-series, was desperately seeking time at the crease before Australia's cup opener against India on Friday night in Sydney.

But she faced only seven balls and was caught from a sweep shot which went straight to backward square leg.

Healy's opening partner Beth Mooney (10 from seven balls), first drop Ashleigh Gardner, who made a six-ball duck, and Ellyse Perry (five from five) fell cheaply as Australia stumbled to 4-35 in the sixth over.

Captain Meg Lanning (47 from 36 balls) and Rachael Haynes (39 from 35) featured in a 90-run stand which laid the platform for victory.

Earlier, Australia's bowlers copped some stick from South African captain Dane van Niekerk.

The opener was savage on some wayward bowling, cracking seven fours and three sixes in making 62 from 51 balls.

Australia claimed just one wicket in the initial 14 overs after winning the toss, as van Niekerk and opener partner Lizelle Lee banked 41 runs from the six-over power play.

Their partnership ended on 79 in the 11th over when Lee (29 from 28 balls) lofted a Nicola Carey delivery to deep square leg, where Georgia Wareham took the catch.

Australian skipper Lanning deployed eight bowlers with Megan Schutt (1-22 from four overs) and Jess Jonassen (1-21 from four) the picks.

Medium-pacer Delissa Kimmince (2-34 from four overs) and Carey (1-10 from one) were other wicket-takers, while Ellyse Perry finished with 0-18 from two overs.