England can pack their bags for Lord’s buoyed by a thorough and exhilarating performance tonight against a South African side that had done their homework and had them in the swamp at 23-3. Knight and Sciver-Brunt hauled England back into contention and then smart bowling and ever smarter fielding did the rest. Will it be good enough for Australia? Let’s see…
We’ll be here on Sunday to carry you though the agony/ectasy. Until then, thanks for your messages and have a lovely evening.
“Hi Tanya from the (not OCS) stand at the Oval.” Hello Stephen Cottrell! “What a great event. South London looking a picture, England bowling beautifully and SA hanging in there. What a sport!” A great evening – so glad it was as fun as it looked.
The ecstatic England players are currently signing hats and shirts for hundreds (thousands?) of members of the crowd who have stayed behind.
Captains
Laura Woolvardt looks gutted. “I think the crowd does play a role, adds to the vibe and the energy. A decent campaign for us, on reflection our batted never really fired, that showed again a bit today, I think our bowling and fielding was pretty good, have a look at what we did and try better for next time. We’ve got an exciting mix of seniors and youngsters.”
Sciver-Brunt, hand in red trouser pocket. “What a special place to play cricket, a great ground to show the crowd how much we enjoy playing for England.”
“WE’ve got full confidence in our batting line up. Heather and I knew we had a really important job to do to keep things on track. Our composure was important, took the game on slightly different to a usual T20 innings. We thought we had a good score, there was some variable bounce, knew keeping the stumps in play would be very important.”
“It’s infectious playing for this team in front of a home crowd, I can’t wait to do it again at Lord’s.”
“It was a little bit nervy at three down,” says a smiling Heather Knight. “Full of admiration for Nat to play like she did after missing three games in a high-pressure game. I’ve shared lots of partnerships with her but I think this might be up there with our best.”
She says South Africa played their cards early.
How did she keep her cool in the middle under pressure – advice for young kids.“Having your routines, keep that consistent with whatever situation you’re in You’ve got more time than you think, trust your game, trust what you’ve done in the nets.”
Player of the match: Nat Sciver Brunt
What a player. Injured, misses three games, comes back, scores a match-winning innings.
“I was nervous, the occasion gets quite big. I had lots of emotion pre game but managed to switch on to game time and enjoyed myself.
“Shabnim and Marizanne are world class and we knew they could do the damage and wanted to get through that and capitalise on the others and with our experience we put our heads together and got the job done.”
A record crowd for a women's match at The Oval
Hugs and smiles all round for England. Handshakes for a disappointed South Africa who were just outplayed tonight in front of 21,128 people in South London – a record for a women’s match at The Oval. And what a night they had.
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England win by 40 runs and will meet Australia in the final!
20th over: South Africa 129-8 (de Klerk 14, Ishmail 2) Smith with the final over. de Klerk nurdles and hits, but can’t find a morale-boosting boundary and that is it! A comprehensive victory and a thrilling England are in the final.
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WICKET! Khaka b Bell 4 ( South Africa 123-8)
A fast bouncer that flew for four off the edge is followed by a back of the hand slower ball yorker. Beautiful stuff.
19th over: South Africa 123-8 (de Klerk 10, Ishmail 0)
WICKET! Jafta run out 1 (Wyatt-Hodge) (South Africa 119-7)
Yes, no – crash. A direct hit from backward point! The cherry on the cake.
18th over: South Africa 119-6 ( de Klerk 10, Jafta 1) The South African skittles are tumbling.
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WICKET! Tryon b Ecclestone 12 (South Africa 118-6)
A mighty heft across the line and Ecclestone has her reward. She pumps her fist and her plait swings triumphantly.
17th over: South Africa 113-5 ( de Klerk 5, Tryon 12) Tryon swots two fours off Dean – one through extra cover , a second down the ground and inexplicably through the hands of Smith on the rope – the first real slip up on the field today.
”Tanya, this team is so good,” writes Stephen Nicols. “Half of them are playing at their peak, no-one is having a bad tournament, and we are heading for the final. Now if we can just restrict the Aussies to 180 on Sunday....” I believe…
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16th over: South Africa 101-5 ( de Klerk 2, Tryon 3) The crowd are doing the Mexican wave now, jeopardy has packed her suitcase and left the building.
15th over: South Africa 98-5 ( de Klerk 1, Tryon 1) Brits has time for one last flourish, a cut that races along to the rope. But a well-crafted innings comes to an end when scoreboard pressure looming on her shoulders she tries to go legside.
WICKET! Brits c Sciver-Brunt b Dean 51 (South Africa 95-5)
And with that the South African dream dies - Brits gets a leading edge to Sciver-Brunt at cover who catches with a smile.
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WICKET! Luus c Ecclestone b Bell 11 (South Africa 91-4)
Another great catch by Ecclestone! Luus, discomforted by the short ball from Bell gets a top edge and Ecclestone collects, postman style, over her shoulder.
14th over: South Africa 91-4 (Brits 47 )Bell returns to the attack. A diving Brits just beats a throw from Dean from a desperate single. They’re running well but they just can’t reach the rope – famous last words as Luus swats a legcutter through deep midwicket for four. But that’s her lot! South Africa need 79 from 36 and a miracle.
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13th over: South Africa 83-3 (Brits 46, Luus 4 ) When your run rate has grown to 93 off 48 balls , the last person you want to face is Sophie Ecclestone. But such is life. Just four singles from it and South Africa need 87 off 42 as the setting sun glints on the skyscrapers stretching in the distance behind the Oval.
12th over: South Africa 79-3 (Brits 44, Luus 2 ) Time for Gibson. Brits pans her through midwicket for four. The over finishes with four byes as Luus arms herself for a ramp and misses, but Jones does too.
11th over: South Africa 69-3 (Brits 39, Luus 1) An espresso-smooth drive through extra cover from Brits but the air leaves the balloon with that dismissal of Kapp.
WICKET! Kapp c Sciver-Brunt b Dean 5 (South Africa 68-3)
Kapp steps and tries to shimmy Dean leg side but a leading edge loops to Sciver-Brunt at cover.
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10th over: South Africa 63-2 (Brits 31, Kapp 3) The equation is starting to look a bit daunting for South Africa now – 107 needed off the final ten. Another neat over from Kemp.
9th over: South Africa 58-2 (Brits 31, Kapp 3) Ecclestone whizzes through another over, a dogged bit of chasing down by Linsey Smith turns certain four to fatigue-enducing three.
8th over: South Africa 51-2 (Brits 26, Kapp 1) England are buzzing now, smiling, fizzing in the field. A great first over from Kemp. Dercksen flicks her long Rapunzel plait away in the dug out. South Africa need a Knight-NSB partnership from these two.
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WICKET! Dercksen c Knight b Kemp 3 (South Africa 49-2)
Done by the slower ball! Dercksen gets a top edge to backward point and there is no chance that Heather Knight is going to drop that.
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7th over: South Africa 47-1 (Brits 24, Dercksen 2) As one big beast departs, another arrives. Ecclestone removes her cap. Dean nearly, so nearly, pulls off a stunning catch against Dercksen, leaping at mid-off with one hand, twisting, but is off balance and can’t hold on. Just four singles from Ecclestone’s first – she looks in the zone.
6th over: South Africa 43-1 (Brits 22, Dercksen 0) Brits pulls out an awkward looking reverse sweep, a magic trick gone wrong, for a single. Wolvaardt plays a glorious lofted four over mid off for four but then tries to repeat it next ball to find a flying Ecclestone. Huge blow for South Africa.
WICKET! Wolvaardt c Ecclestone b Smith 17 (South Africa 43-1)
Ecclestone leaps wonderwoman style, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her jump so high! Fabulous catch at mid on as Wolvaardt tries to repeat a shot that brought her four. The Oval crowd goes mildly wild.
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5th over: South Africa 28-0 (Wolvaardt 13, Brits 19) Charlie Dean in shades, and Wolvaardt takes out the frying pan and thwacks her first ball over mid off for four. But Dean hauls it back and in the end its just eight from the over. One over of the power play left.
4th over: South Africa 28-0 (Wolvaardt 8, Brits 18) Bell again, the England ring doing their bit keeping South Africa to dots and ones. But the fourth ball is off driven past a diving NSB at mid off by Wolvaardt for four.
3rd over: South Africa 21-0 (Wolvaardt 2, Brits 17) Brits tucks into Smith – a thick outside edge flies to the rope, then a square drive beats the chasing fielders. The sun is staring to drop, the ground now almost completely covered in shade.
2nd over: South Africa 11-0 (Wolvaardt 1, Brits 8) Bell takes the ball, grimaces, looks for the seam. Her first ball hits Brits high on the thigh. A bouncer follows, Brits sways backwards and it is called wide for height. A second wide flies legside. Brits plonks her front foot to another and slaps four down the ground.
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South Africa innings
1st over: South Africa 2-0 (Wolvaardt 1, Brits 1) Smith is a slippy customer. On the money, one keeps low, just two singles from it.
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I’ve picked your email up a little late Guy Hornsby, apologies, but the message still stands: “What a pair these two are, Tanya. Rescuing us again from a perilous position after a brilliant bowling spell from Ismail and Kapp. How many times have they built a Great Escape? If England can get to 160+ it’s very defendable with our attack. You’d hope a sprinkling of Gibson and Kemp’s power could take us past that. This is really in the balance.” It really is -but you feel it is probably Wolvaardt or bust.
What a fascinating innings. South Africa had England down and dirty but they rose from the dust through Sciver-Brunt and Knight, who showed all their experience and nous and ball-striking brilliance. Mlaba’s double strike prevented England passing 180, but it’s a big total to chase on a warm semi-final night at The Oval.
South Africa need 170 to win!
20th over: England 169-5 ( Gibson 6, Kemp 1) Khaka it is. One, dot, wide, a single for Kemp. Gibson backs away from the next and can’t get a bat on it – dot. A top edge from the penultimate ball but the two fielders underneath buzz about ineffectively, Tryon eventually dropping it. And the last delivery flies away for four byes.
19th over: England 160-5( Gibson 3, Kemp 0) What can England’s two big-hitting allrounders do with one over to go?
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WICKET! Knight c Wolvaardt b Mlaba 58 (England 157-5)
And the other big dog is back in the kennel. Mlaba strikes twice in two balls, Knight caught at short cover for a wonderful 58.
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WICKET! Sciver-Brunt c Brits b Mlaba 75 (England 156-4)
Sweeps but this time doesn’t make the rope and a sure-footed Brits takes the catch. A fabulous innings after time on the sidelines is applauded on standing feet all the way back to the pavilion.
18th over: England 154-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 73, Knight 58) South Africa are losing control of this, and fast. NSB heaves four then six into the legside off de Klerk. “Laura Woolvaardt needs to take a moment,” says Nasser. “NSB is so deep in her crease that what they think is a full delivery is in the slot.” The highest partnership in a World Cup semi final comes and goes and they change the ball but NSB immediately cuffs it through midwicket for four more.
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Fifty for Heather Knight!
17th over: England 138-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 58, Knight 57) Heather Knight!! Pow – six slog swept over deep midwicket. Four through extra cover. Bring this woman diamonds and pearls. Khaka’s over costs 15.
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16th over: England 123-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 55, Knight 45) Wolvaardt plays the Ismail card now, with five overs to go. Her last over – and she nearly gets Knight who is done by a slower ball and oomps the ball up and just out of mid off’s reach. Knight gets the next to the long on boundary but is lucky to escape for a second time, as deep midwicket can’t quite get to the falling ball in time. The hundred partnership- valuable beyond words – comes up off 76 balls.
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15th over: England 116-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 54, Knight 39) Mlaba brings some control, just three singles from it.
Fifty for Nat Sciver-Brunt!
14th over: England 113-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 53, Knight 37) de Klerk pleads for an lbw against Knight – no chance – and then the runs come - a legside full toss is swatted away by NSB, followed by four more ramped casual-as-you-like, and a final four whipped through long on. That is a fifty to remember, the pressure on, England in trouble. They take drinks.
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13th over: England 100-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 41, Knight 36) Mlaba, a swirl of yellow arm. Knight lofts her over the covers and a fabulous dive and scrabble by de Klerk can’t quite cut it off. Some good running between these two – hope the NSB calf is up to it.
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12th over: England 91-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 41, Knight 27) Khaka returns, NSB is quickly front on and flicks the most delicate ramp for four. Another four, this time from Knight, onto the back foot, sliding the ball between backward point and short third again. In the middle Knight and NSB have a laugh, they’re enjoying this fightback now.
11th over: England 79-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 34, Knight 22) Chloe Tryon with her slow left arm. NSB licks her lips and sweeps consecutive fours.
10th over: England 68-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 24, Knight 21) The shadow is half way down the pitch now. NSB hauls de Klerk for four through midwicket. A regular tick, tick, tick of singles but South Africa are on it on the field and there are no runs to steal.
9th over: England 58-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 16, Knight 19) South Africa burn a second and final review for an lbw againt NSB off Mlaba’s first ball – NSB drops to sweep and the ball deviates off horizontal blade into the pad. Some cracking fielding from Derksen saves a couple but a resolute and gun-fire quick sweep from Knight for four gets the scoreboard ticking.
8th over: England 50-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 14, Knight 13) Khaka, running out of the shadows. A very Heather Knight kind of shot, tantalising the fielder the whole way as she slides four between backward point and third. That’s the only boundary, but eight from the over. The crowd are still wired despite the early wickets.
7th over: England 42-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 13, Knight 6) This is a time for wise old heads. Which is lucky, as that’s exactly who England have at the crease. The dangerous, dangerous Kapp continues – no fancy messing about with bowling changes for Woolvaardt. This is actually the first time Kapp has bowled out early all tournament. NSB clips one ball perilously close to the midwicket fielder but, that’s more like it, one shimmies along the ground this time through midwicket for four.
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6th over: England 35-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 8, Knight 4) South Africa, wisely, decide not to review an lbw shout against NSB, despite how much Ishmail likes it. Her next ball rises sharply past NSB’s attempted duck’n’pull. Cracking over, just two from it as the teams take drinks.
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5th over: England 33-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 7, Knight 3) A legbye, a wide and three singles from Kapp’s miserly over.
4th over: England 28-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 6, Knight 1 ) A tiny bit of good news for England with an NSB cover drive for four off Ishmail’s last ball. This SA bowling is unrelenting, threatening. In the dugout, DWH shakes her head.
South Arica did gamble on an lbw review against NSB off Ismail’s first ball which they lost, only for Ishmail to get Capsey lbw a ball later. Oh gosh, and the replays seem to show an inside edge onto Capsey’s pad for that lbw decision.
WICKET! Capsey lbw Ishmail 1 (England 23-3)
Capsey asks NSB whether she should review but gets the shake of doom and must make the long walk home after a four ball. one. Another gorgeous ball from Ishmail that nips back in and skirts into her exposed back pad.
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3rd over: England 21-2 ( Sciver-Brunt 1, Capsey 1 ) Kapp has a fire in her belly today. Capsey beaten first ball after coming in, England scrimp a couple of singles from the over.
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WICKET! Wyatt-Hodge b Kapp 12 (England 20-2)
The wicket South Africa wanted! A peach of a ball from Kapp, a roar of triumph from Kapp, and DWH looks back to see splayed stumps.
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2nd over: England 20-0 (Wyatt-Hodge 12, Nat Sciver-Brunt 1) A huge roar for NSB as she strides onto the turf looking determined and she picks up a single immediately. Then runs, runs, as DWH picks up four between slip and backward point, four wides next ball as Ishmail sprays legside this time, then four more, rather lucky runs as DWH chops Ismail into the ground. A great dive on the boundary boards saves another four but then DWH nearly chops onto her stumps from the last ball. Slightly risky play here.
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WICKET! Jones c Derksen b Ishmail 2 (South Africa 3-1)
Oh dear, Derksen only has to shuffle a couple of pigeon steps sideways to collect a slap straight to cover point off Ishmail’s first ball.
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1st over: England 3-0 (Wyatt-Hodge 1, Amy Jones 2) Marizanne Kapp has grabbed a wicket with her first ball twice already in this tournament – but not this time as the ball passes safely outside Amy Jones’ off stump. Jones picks up a single bringing run-machine Wyatt-Hodge to the crease. But there are no gimmies and she wafts and misses twice in a row going for the cut.
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An early email as the flag ceremony unfurls itself at The Oval.
Hello Dean Kinsella! “Good evening Tanya. What’s the weather there in London? Lovely cricketing weather here in Mayo. This is such an exciting prospect of a game. Hard to call. Saffers have match winners in their side. England’s line-up looks so strong even without Sophie. Let’s do it!”
It looks lovely at The Oval, the sun is kissing the players faces as they file out, t-shirts in the crowd, a balmy 25 degrees in London at the moment. An excellent crowd that will only get bigger as people file in after work – they’re expecting 20,000 through the turnstiles. Big love for the lovely South African national anthem, and a bright and breezy version of our dirge – NSB and Charlie Dean exchange smiles. Here we go!
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Whoever wins this game has the unappetising prospect of facing up to Australia in the final at Lord’s on Sunday. They thrashed West Indies by eight wickets on Tuesday.
Afterwards, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews had something to say on the “unfair” distribution of money in women’s cricket.
Raf has just hared over to The Oval “from a lovely reception at the Foreign Office to celebrate the Afghanistan women’s cricket team. Richard Gould was there too, and is now here - somehow got here quicker than me, despite horrendous traffic between Whitehall and The Oval (ECB private jet maybe?) It is VERY busy - so busy they’ve closed the road - which is quite an exciting sign!”
South Africa XI
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba.
England XI
England: Amy Jones (wk), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Alice Capsey, Heather Knight, Freya Kemp, Dani Gibson, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell.
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Sophia Dunkley misses out
NSB would have had a bowl too. She says the calf is as good as it could be and she’s really happy with where she is. Poor old Sophia Dunkley misses out.
South Africa win the toss and will bowl!
Woolvaardt: “I think The Oval is quite a hard ground to defend so we’ll have a bat later. We have room for improvement but I think that’s the exciting thing - we’ve found ourselves in the semis without having fully found our feet.”
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Preamble
Hello London, hello Cape Town – here we are again for another big beast battle between the hosts and the losing finalists in the last World Cup.
England have soared though their knock-out games undefeated, even without Nat Sciver-Brunt, who is back today wearing the captain’s armband. It has been more of a slog for South Africa but they know how to win these games and Laura Woolvaardt is yet to fire fully – keeping her powder dry for today?
We will soon find out. The toss is imminent, let’s go to The Oval.
