The Proteas booked their place in the ICC Cricket World Cup after bossing England by 125 runs, thanks to the brilliance of Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt.
Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits built a solid foundation with a first-wicket partnership of 116, and the latter would be Sophie Ecclestone’s first of four victims of the day. South Africa quickly lost Anneke Bosch and Sune Luus, allowing England back into the contest.
Wolvaardt and Kapp reignited South Africa’s innings with a 72-run partnership off 66 balls, and then two quick wickets followed, with Sinalo Jafta and Annerie Dercksen departing to leave the Proteas on 202 for 6 after 40.1 overs.
Once Wolvaardt scored a hundred, she accelerated well from 100 to 169 in 28 balls, scoring at a strike rate of 246.42. In her partnership of 89 runs from 47 balls with Chloe Tryon, the South African skipper contributed 68 before she fell to Lauren Bell. With just 12 balls left, Tryon and Nadine de Klerk added 28 runs to take the Proteas to 319 runs for 7.
In response, Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka started like a house on fire, taking England’s first 3 wickets for 1 run. Then a recovery mission by Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey only lasted for 107 runs before Capsey was removed by Luus. The match officially finished when Sinalo Jafta caught Sciver-Brunt for 64, courtesy of Kapp. That wicket left England grappling at 138 for 5, and the remaining 5 wickets fell for 56 runs, giving South Africa a 125-run victory.
Kapp was the pick of the bowlers with 5 for 20 in the 7 overs she bowled. De Klerk picked up 2 wickets, while Ayabonga Khaka, Luus, and Nonkululeko Mlaba took 1 wicket each. South Africa will play the final on 02 November against either India or Australia.
Pic cred: ICC
