South Africa, says, Tammy Beaumont are “a completely different team in World Cup tournaments to bilateral cricket.” An interesting discussion on how South Africa plumped for youth, going without Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk and Mignon du Preez, while England stuck with experience in Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
Right, that’s it from me. Huge disappointment for England who go home at the semi-final stage, delight for South Africa who reach their first World Cup final. We’ll be back on Sunday to see if South Africa can run Australia as ragged as they did England. Thanks for your messages – and company during a thrilling match. Good bye!
The waving South Africa team are doing a low-key lap of honour to their remaining fans. The sun is dropping and the shadows stretch.
Danni Wyatt gets the short straw and is sent off to do the interviews. She speaks well. Ian Ward asks her about the fielding and things getting fraut. She blows her cheeks out and bats the question away – says they should have been used to big crowds, but it got to them.
The stage is set.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) February 24, 2023
South Africa will face Australia at Newlands on Sunday in the 2023 Women's T20 World Cup final.
Who will add their name to the trophy?
2009🏆🏴ENG
2010🏆🇦🇺AUS
2012🏆🇦🇺AUS
2014🏆🇦🇺AUS
2016🏆🏝️WI
2018🏆🇦🇺AUS
2020🏆🇦🇺AUS
2023🏆 ?#T20WorldCup #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/Gdzj2zoV5s
The captains
Heather Knight, “Gutted, first of all what a brilliant game of cricket. I thought South Africa with their bowling plans were very good. We probably let them get a few too many runs. We’re starting to build something really nicely, sometimes fine margins happen and we lose the game, we’re really clear how we want to play our T20 cricket, sometimes it doesn’t come off – like today.”
Sune Luus. “It was a great match, we were out of it, into it again. we do have the best bowling attack in the world against the best batting attack in the world. They gave us a platform. [Khaka’s over] – she’s a phenomenal bowler, one of the best in the world.
“It’s madness, every game we play we’ve been making history. I hope this is a turning point not just for women’s cricket in South Africa but women’s sport in South Africa.”
The player of the match is Tazmin Brits
Of course it is! The woman with the velcro hands, who played a clever and aggressive innings with the bat.
“As a cricketer you dream of showing up at such moments. Thank you to the crowd, without them it wouldn’t have been possible. Nice to have backing from your country. We tried to accelerate at the beginning but got a measure of it as the game went on. 140 was a minimum but we got 160. I wrote it down on paper.
“I still cannot believe {the catch]. I am impressed and happy with it. We need to praise and glory to God for giving us this opportunity.”
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The raw data:
South Africa (164-4) v England (158-8) - England were on track, but collapsed at the death, losing 5 wickets. pic.twitter.com/n6bjescQm7
— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) February 24, 2023
What a story for South African cricket! A fantastic performance that should transform women’s cricket in the country. The best thing that could have happened for Women’s cricket worldwide. England have been magnificent this tournament – but today wasn’t their day and the story isn’t their story.
South Africa win by six runs! And make their first World Cup final
20th over: England 164-4 (Glenn 8, Dean 1) AFter Knight falls – it looks impossible, and it is. Dean and Glenn cannot hit three boundaries off the fastest female bowler in the world. South Africa sprint into a joyous huddle by the bowlers’ end. Glenn and Dean squat on the their haunches, Glenn is in tears.
WICKET! Knight b Ismail 31(England 153-8)
Knight hoikes on her knees and the ball bounces off her pad into her leg stump! Ismail takes off into the stratosphere.
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Key event
19th over: England 152-7 (Knight 31, Glenn 3) Kapp for the penultimate over – Knight – damn her cool – flams six over long on. A smart throw from Ismail keeps Glenn on strike. Thirteen off the last over
18th over: England 140-7 (Knight 23, Glenn 0) Newlands sparks and fizzes and flames. Jones gone. A wide from Khaka, a single to Knight. What can Ecclestone do? Nothing! Nor Brunt. 24 needed from 11!
WICKET! Brunt lbw Khaka 0 (England 140-7)
First ball slam-bam lbw in the maelstrom! Good decision by the umpire – Knight tells Brunt to review but in hope rather than judgement.
WICKET! Ecclestone c Bosch b Khaka 1 (England 140-6)
Straight to cover! Ecclestone swings and flails.
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WICKET! Jones c Bosch b Khaka 2 (England 137-5)
A griddle-pan swing to extra cover!
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17th over: England 137-4 (Knight 19, Jones 2) Brits was never going to drop that ball at long on! Incredible work by her in the field today and another excellent over from de Klerk. 28 needed from the remaining three overs – grab your umbrella handles.
WICKET! NSB c Brits b de Klerk 40 (England 132-4)
NSB drops to one knee and swings – but Brits – again! – is waiting on the rope.
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16th over: England 131-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 40, Knight 19) Ismail returns and NSB ramps her, like a woman forking over the compost patch in wellies, for four. She helps the second ball, on leg side, race along the ground for four to the same area. Sloppy keeping gives away another single. And a slower ball is swung away for four more by NSB, beating the sprinting de Klerk. Fourteen from the over.
15th over: England 117-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 28, Knight 17) England eye up Marizanne Kapp – a bold move but the run rate is nearly ten. NSB squeezes one past cover and the sprinting boundary rider for a four. They risk two off Ismail’s arm – and make it. Ten from the over. .
14th over: England 107-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 20, Knight 15) The miserly de Klerk on song again!
13th over: England 102-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 17, Knight 13) Tryon comes on for her first over. On comms, Firdose Moonda has reservations on a pitch that has been seam friendly. Knight’s eyes light up and she gallops away and launches a six over long off – the first South Africa have conceded in this world cup. The umpire gives NSB out lbw to the penultiate ball – a swift review is justified when the replay shows glove involved. And to polish things off, Tryon drops NSB in her follow through to the final delivery.
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12th over: England 92-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 16, Knight 4 ) de Klerk continues her sterling work –helped by some neat ground fielding - just four from her over.
11th over: England 88-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 15, Knight 2 ) Shosholoza rings out from the crowd as South Africa seize the momentum. Wyatt is furious with herself , and another super catch by Brits. Enter Knight, who hasn’t blazed this tournament so far. But this is the perfect time for her cool head.
WICKET! Wyatt c Brits b Khaka 34 (England 85-3)
A languid leg side ball bounces invitingly, Wyatt swivels and pulls to short fine leg where it is Brits again!
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10th over: England 84-2 (Wyatt 34, N Sciver-Brunt 13) Suddenly better in the field from South Africa, balls are going to hand, dives are resolute . A super first over from de Klerk, conceding just three. Drinks at the half way stage with England needing 81 runs in 60 balls – at a run rate of 8.10 to meet Australia in the final.
9th over: England 81-2 (Wyatt 33, N Sciver-Brunt 11) Mlaba, needle short bright blond hair, nicely done, restricts England to six runs – three dots after a Wyatt cover driven four. And South Africa, the television tells me, are the only team not to concede a six in the this World Cup.
8th over: England 75-2 (Wyatt 28, N Sciver-Brunt 10) Nat Sciver Brunt stands and lofts just to the right of the diving Ismail and down to the rope. Bowler Kapp ties her hair back in its bun as row of kids dance and clap. Win predictor give England a hearty 71 percent.
7th over: England 67-2 (Wyatt 27, N Sciver-Brunt 3) Khaka returns, and is costly once more – Wyatt pounds her for four through mid-on and another boundary from the last ball. The camera pans back so we can all be dazzled by Table Mountain.
“It’s always sad to see players and selectors not knowing when to call it quits,” says David H. “Katherine Brunt’s magnificent career should have ended a few years ago. No one will criticise or call for her to go because of her stellar service to English cricket . Hopefully she will realise it’s been one tournament too far.”
6th over: England 55-2 (Wyatt 16, N Sciver-Brunt 2) Bin what I said about the Newlands crowd, they are now re-energised, injected with some essence of Ismail. End of the power play.
WICKET! Capsey c Brits b Ismail 0 (England 53-2)
Brits is having the game of her life! Capsey goes to pull her second ball but is done for fearesome speed by Ismail and Brits, sprints,swallow dives and with one hand scoops up the ball. She throws the ball in the air and roars.
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WICKET! Dunkley c Brits b Ismail 28 (England 53-1)
Caught at midwicket! A typically thrusting front pad, but the ball just billows to Brits. A bristling 28 from 16.
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5th over: England 53-0 (Wyatt 16, Dunkley 15) The bubbliness of the Newland’s crowd drains away as Dunkley whips Mlaba for three consecutive fours, charging into full length balls with typical ferocity.
“That was one loss of cool in the last quarter of the innings” taps Bernard Owens. “TBH shouting at your teammates to that degree doesn’t usually end well. Heather’s got a big job to calm, console , and reinvigorate over the lunchtime sandwiches.”
Whatever she did, it seems to have worked! And the jitters have instead been passed over to the South African fielders.
4th over: England 40-0 (Wyatt 16, Dunkley 15) Ten from Khaka’s over – apologies slight technical hitch this end.
3rd over: England 30-0 (Wyatt 11, Dunkley 10) A fluffed run-out chance when the ball is thrown to the wrong end, then a superb bit of fielding by Ismail – flying over the boundary boards and seemingly knocking the ball back into play – is in vain as the umpire rules that the boundary board had been moved out of the correct place. A flying toe end from Dunkley flies past the keeper for four more.
2nd over: England 21-0 (Wyatt 6, Dunkley 6) Ismail sprints in, dark chestnut ponytail swinging side to side. A fielding error hands Dunkley a boundary, then a snorting bouncer flies past Wyatt who drops to her knees and takes her eyes off the ball. Unfortunately so does the keeper who lets four byes fly past. South Africa can’t afford to make these mistakes against England – even with 160 on the board.
1st over: England 11-0 (Wyatt 5, Dunkley 1)Not the start South Africa were hoping for. Wyatt sweeps Mlaba for four, before five wides scream past the leg side.
“Why are England persevering with KSB?” asks Tom Callaghan.
”Surely Kate Cross should be in the team. KSB has consistently proved to be a liability.”
England have always valued her big heart and and, of course, skills with the ball. The temper has just been part of the package. Interesting to see if today’s performance tips the balance, especially if South Africa make it over the line.
Game well and truly on. Knight needs pull a peptalk from heaven to re-gee up the troops.
England lost control there. Different captain, but shades of the Commonwealth Games. #T20WorldCup
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) February 24, 2023
England need 165 to win
20th over: South Africa 164-4 ( Kapp 27, Luus 3) Knight puts her trust in the furious KSB for the last over. The second ball is a floating full toss engraved with the words hit me – and Kapp duly obliges, pulling it high and to the rope. No ball. Two more boundaries follow as Kapp comes good, slamming KSB through cover, and finishing the innings with a screaming shovel across the midwicket rope. Eighteen from the over – and a delighted South Africa leave the field. England walk off in dribs and drabs – though Ecclestone and Glenn stride off together looking perky.
19th over: South Africa 146-4 ( Kapp 12, Luus 1) Ecclestone and Bell between them have hauled England back into some control. The last over will go to Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
WICKET! de Klerk b Ecclestone 0 (South Africa 145-4)
Ecclestone to the resuce! de Klerk attempts to throw the kitchen sink and is bowled.
WICKET! Tryon c NSB b Ecclestone 3 (South Africa 145-3)
Tryon pulls for glory but only to Nat Sciver Brunt at midwicket.
18th over: South Africa 143-2 ( Kapp 12, Tryon 1) England needed that wicket – the ship was tilting and discontent bubbled in the ranks.
WICKET! Brits c KSB b Bell 68 (South Africa 142-2)
Bell’s slower ball does the trick as Brits tries to knock another one over the rope but doesn’t quite get the height and meets the immovable object in KSB who makes no mistake, swallowing with both hands. The end of an exceptional innings.
17th over: South Africa 135-1 ( Brits 63, Kapp 11) Teapots from KSB after a lacklustre fielding effort from Capsey (?) lets South Africa pick up a second at long on. Then she pounds the earth after a drive from Kapp passes through the hands of a diving Charlie Dean caught in two minds. Poor Dean gets in the neck again after a loose throw back to the bowler and KSB roars in disapproval. Not the most professional performance from KSB and I\’m not sure she’s helping anyone.
16th over: South Africa 125-1 ( Brits 58, Kapp 6) It’s all got a bit chaotic out there – Nat Sciver Brunt charging in, Brits plays one charming shot through the covers for four. Then it is hit and tickle, with more disjointed England fielding – this time from Ecclestone.
Fifty for Tazmin Brits!
15th over: South Africa 116-1 ( Brits 53, Kapp 2) Now then! Eighteen off Sarah Glenn – forget Tryon, here is Brits! Bang – six over the top. Crash – six through midwicket. Whallop – four sliding to the cover boundary. Marizanne Kapp envelops her in a crunching hug.
14th over: South Africa 98-a ( Brits 36, Kapp 2) South Africa stick with Marizanne Kapp coming in at three – despite her lack of runs this tournament and the potential explosiveness of Tryon. A beautiful half century from Wolvaardt – 53 off 44 balls – before falling to Ecclestone.
WICKET! Wolvaardt c Dean b Ecclestone 53 (South Africa 96-1)
From nowhere! Wolvaardt gets an ugly outside edge which loops to Dean waiting at point. She collects and England celebrate.
13th over: South Africa 90-0 (Wolvaardt 48, Brits 35) England REVIEW for an LBW against Brits – but it looks legside and in fact the replay shows a glove. Dean ploughs on – South Africa pocket singles, though a uncharacteristic misfield lets Wolvaardt come back for a second.
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12th over: South Africa 83-0 (Wolvaadt 43, Brits 33)Brits goes over the top but a back-peddling Alex Capsey can’t reach it. Another down the ground falls short of KSB. Third time lucky, as Wolvaadt plonks the front foot forward drives her through wide mid on for four. A leg side wide then three singles. Eleven from Bell’s over.
11th over: South Africa 67-0 (Wolvaardt 35, Brits 26) It’s a warm day but England are mostly in long sleeves. Dean, in sunglasses, hair gathered into a messy bun, reels in. South Africa can’t really get hold of her and have to make do with singles.
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10th over: South Africa 67-0 (Wolvaadt 35, Brits 26) Nine more tagged onto South Africa’s score. There’s another early boundary, as Brit drives with a flourish and a carnation in her buttonhole, and she and Wolvaadt pick easy singles from Sarah Glenn. That’s DRINKS!
9th over: South Africa 58-0 (Wolvaadt 33, Brits 19) The first ball from Nat Sciver-Brunt disappears over mid-wicket for four more to Wolvaardt. Another potential four is thwarted by the shin of square leg umpire Claire Polosak. Eight from the over.
To those who have written in, apologies there is no scorecard for this game – it’s all tied up in a deal with the provider.
8th over: South Africa 50-0 (Wolvaadt 27, Brits 18) Ecclestone to stem the flow? And she does – though South Africa knock up a single from each ball.
7th over: South Africa 44-0 (Wolvaadt 23, Brits 15) Now Sarah Glenn’s legspin. Huge whoops as Wolvaardt leans back stylishly and delivers her square for four. Lots of kids in a crowd that is scattered nicely round the ground.
6th over: South Africa 37-0 (Wolvaadt 18, Brits 14) Our first view today of Nat Sciver Brunt, with the last over of ht power play. An emboldened South Africa pick her off her and there. A wide sneaks past Amy Jones. Brits pongoes a short one for four. Two good overs for South Africa.
5th over: South Africa 28-0 (Wolvaadt 16, Brits 9) That’s more like it South Africa! They’re lucky to pick up a leg bye from a ball that should have been called dead, then Wolvaardt is able to dispatch Dean quite easily, culminating in a stylish drop to her knee and and an up and over drive into the crowd for six! Fourteen from Charlie Dean’s first over.
4th over: South Africa 14-0 (Wolvaadt 4, Brits 8) Ecclestone time. Brits sweeps her down to the midwicket boundary for the second boundary of the innings. Then a huge roar as she slams down the ground, but KSB prevents more than one by sliding and scooping on the rope.
3rd over: South Africa 9-0 (Wolvaadt 4, Brits 3) A second consecutive over for KSB, and South Africa can’t get her away. Brits only pick up one from a short, looser one after smart save on the rope. Wolvaardt throws the bat and misses at the last ball – a touch of frustration perhaps.
2nd over: South Africa 8-0 (Wolvaadt 4, Brits 2) Brits drives Lauren Bell, who has two braids creeping back from her hairline along her head, for two nice runs. A strangled lbw appeal, then Brits drives back hard and smashes the ball into the stumps – just a feather away from Bell’s hand. Wolvaadt was well out of her crease. A wide and leg bye and that’s the over.
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1st over: South Africa 4-0 (Wolvaadt 4, Brits 0) KSB covers her face with her hands after serving up a short fat one second ball and Wolvaadt drives through the covers handsomely for four. Five dot balls either side.
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Katherine Sciver-Brunt has the ball… here we go!
Anthems: Heather Knight has her game face on. Marizanne Kapp is too overwhelmed to sing (unless she usually hangs her head, lips together).
An early email – do keep them coming – hello Duncan Bonnett!
“Getting very excited about this match, which is England’s to lose, in all fairness, but I’m hoping the Proteas can tighten up the fielding, restrict England with some good, tight bowling (which has been their strong suit recently) and keep their heads whilst batting. Tall order? Yip! Can it be done? Yip! Have I got the yips? Yip!”
Really hope it is a tight one. But as you say, and as India proved yesterday, the underdogs can’t afford to lose concentration for even a moment in the field.
Natalie Germanos is somewhat surprised that South Africa have chosen to bat, thinks it is playing into the hands of England’s powerful batting line up. But says they are relying on their excellent bowling attack to do the business. Time for a quick cup of tea before it all starts in ten minutes. While you’re waiting – some Bazball:
Teams: South Africa
South Africa XI: : Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus (c), Chloe Tyron, Anneke Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Miasba.
South Africa are unchanged from their last match, a ten-wicket win against Bangladesh.
Teams: England
England XI: Danni Wyatt, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (c), Amy Jones (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Sarah Glenn, Charlie Dean, Lauren Bell
Just the one change: Lauren Bell is back after being rested against Pakistan, and Freya Davies returns to the bench.
South Africa win the toss and will bat!
A smiling Sune Luus win the toss on a used pitch. Heather Knight says she would have batted too.
Hypocaust has been trawling through the stats:
y
The average 1st innings total of 140.6 at the 2023 Women's 20 World Cup is currently the highest for any major women's T20I tournament.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) February 23, 2023
The average winning total of 158.5 is virtually identical to the record 159 seen during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/R6ROphsAxj
Preamble
Hello! It’s semi-final time again, and battle royale to see who will meet those unstoppable Aussies in the final at Newlands on Sunday.
If you were staking your house on today’s game between England and South Africa, you’d stick your tatty betting slip in the red and blue corner. England have been in dominant form, unbeaten for ten games, and fresh from a record-breaking thrashing of Pakistan in their final group game.
Not all England’s players have fully flouished, but big money WPL buy Nat Sciver-Brunt is in the form of her life, winner of the player of the match award against Pakistan and with two half centuries under her belt. Sophie Ecclestone and her spin sisters continue to gobble wickets like peanuts.
History isn’t on South Africa’s side either: they’ve won just three of the 23 T20 games against England. They reached the semi-final with just two wins from the group games (and a superior NRR), but fought back after the crushing loss of the tournament opener against Sri Lanka. Their best weapon is perhaps the Newlands crowd, which is expected to be large and vocal .
Waiting for today’s winner is Australia, who yesterday snatched a knuckle-gnawer against India. Harmanpreet Kaur did her best to carry India past Australia’s imposing total, but India had made things hard with their butter-fingered fielding performance. So Australia progress to yet another T20 final. Raf was there – read her report here.
Play starts today at 1pm GMT, see you for the toss.
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