England Women defeated South Africa Women by 137 runs in the 2nd semifinal of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 to reach the finals.
The defending champions outclassed the Proteas in every department to secure a place against undefeated Australia Women in the final scheduled to be played on 3rd April 2022 from 6:30 AM IST onwards.
Danielle Wyatt rose on the big occasion to register a classy hundred that took England beyond the reach of South Africa Women.
Here’s how the match panned out:
South African skipper Sune Luus won the toss and opted to bowl first at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
England Women batting first was under pressure to post a significant total on the board to defend. The English opener Danielle Wyatt absorbed the pressure and played a match-defining knock of 129 runs in 125 deliveries.
Wyatt kept the one end intact for most of the England innings. Meanwhile, wickets kept falling at regular intervals from the other end.
England was 126/4 when Sophia Dunkley entered the crease to partner Danielle Wyatt for a tremendous fifth-wicket partnership. Sophia notched up 60 off 72 and formed an essential stand of 116 runs before Wyatt was sent back into the pavilion by Masabata Klaas.
The partnership between Wyatt and Dunkley took the game away from South Africa as England Women posted a massive total of 293/8 in 50 overs. For Proteas, Ismail was the most successful bowler with three wickets in her quota of 10 overs.
Chasing 294, South Africa needed two impactful stands to get over the finish line. However, no player from South Africa was able to cross 30 runs mark in the entire chase. England Women wrapped up the South African innings on 156 runs to enter the finals in the Women’s World Cup twice in a row.
Sophie Eccelstone was brilliant with her length and line and picked up 6 wickets in 8 overs to break the spine of the South African chase.
Also read: Top 10 Memorable Moments in South African Cricket