England's Ian Bell (R) walks off talking to South Africa's Greame Smith (C) and AB de Villiers after rain stops play during their first one day international cricket match at Swalec Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. AFP/Olly Greenwood
After losing the toss, England reached 37-0 as Ian Bell raced to 26 not out from 18 balls, with two sixes and two fours. Alastair Cook was unbeaten on 10 when
play was abandoned at Sophia Gardens.
The morning start had already been delayed to 1400 GMT with the match reduced to 24 overs. After a single delivery from Morne Morkel - a wide - the players went off for rain.
Play briefly resumed after 10 minutes, with the match reduced to 23 overs and the powerplay limited to five overs.
Wayne Parnell missed a relatively straightforward chance to run out Cook in the third over as the England captain scrambled for a single.
England scored only 4 runs off the first three overs before smacking 12 runs off Lonwabo Tsotsobe in the fourth. The fifth over was even more expensive for the Proteas, with Bell pulling Morkel's first delivery for six over square leg before driving another six over long off four balls later.
However, three balls into Tsotsobe's next over heavy rain began to fall and, with no prospect of a resumption, play was officially abandoned.
The second ODI is at Southampton on Tuesday.