Sunday 26 February 2023 was an historic day for women’s sport in South Africa before a ball was even bowled. A sellout crowd at Newlands, in a country where women’s cricket is rarely even ticketed. Queues snaking down the road as 12,782 spectators filed in to witness this never-before-seen occasion – South Africa in a cricket World Cup final. A rousing, emotional rendition of their national anthem before play, which had Marizanne Kapp sobbing.
As for the result? Well, you can’t have everything. First, Australia amassed 156 runs as Beth Mooney (74 not out off 53 balls) made history of her own, becoming the first player to score half-centuries in successive Twenty20 World Cup finals. Then, slowly, the Australians tightened their spider web around South Africa, who faced down dot after dot after dot in a 22-run powerplay.
Only Laura Wolvaardt looked capable of scoring at the required rate, bringing up a 43-ball fifty in the 15th over with her trademark cover drive, having already punished Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath and Georgia Wareham with sixes. But when she was trapped lbw by Megan Schutt with 48 still needed, reality set in: another World Cup belonged to Australia.
“We don’t get tired of winning,” Mooney said. “We know that we’re being hunted – it won’t last for ever but we’ll enjoy it for as long as we can.”
The day had started with a little bit of elusive South African swagger – Sune Luus looking like a captain in charge for perhaps the first time ever, as her team took energy from the record crowd, and held on to a series of important catches.
Alyssa Healy, who in her previous two World Cup finals had smashed record scores of 170 and 75, was bounced out by Kapp for only 18. Luus herself held on to a tough chance at long-off in the 12th, after Ash Gardner (29 off 21) tried to smash her third six. Tryon took the most impressive of the lot at deep square leg to get rid of Meg Lanning, turning round to face the crowd and milking the ensuing applause.
“The country were really behind us – it’s something we never thought would happen,” Luus said. “It’s an honour to have that opportunity to inspire a nation.”
But throughout it all there was the unmovable figure of Mooney. Finally, she took on Shabnim Ismail, lofting a six and a four down the ground to ensure Australia’s score tipped over 150, well out of South Africa’s reach.
