Cricket World Cup

England defeated South Africa by 137 runs in their women's World Cup semi-final thanks to Danni Wyatt's 129 and six wickets from Sophie Ecclestone.

The England captain was finally dismissed by Ayabonga Khaka in the 13th over, after South Africa successfully reviewed a close lbw call against her. Two further chances would go down – including a dolly by Ismail in the deep – before South Africa finally clung on to one at short third man to see her off. Wyatt got under way at the other end with back-to-back cuts to the boundary – her most prolific shot of the day – but Heather Knight looked distinctly uncomfortable, playing out 18 dot balls and scoring only one run. Unfazed, Wyatt progressed to her second ODI ton with her trademark aggression and confidence, swivel-pulling Klaas to move to 99 before a scrambled single through the offside brought up three figures. England amassed 293 for 8 before Ecclestone, brought into the attack unusually late in the 24th over, ripped through South Africa’s lower order to cement her position as the leading tournament wicket-taker, taking all of the last six wickets to fall. Then, after Wyatt had whipped out a paddle sweep to bring up her half-century in the 19th, Lara Goodall failed to pick out a catch at deep midwicket and the ball trickled across the boundary rope.

A century from Danni Wyatt put England on a path to victory before another bowling masterclass by Anya Shrubsole and Sophie Ecclestone.

Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Ecclestone then collected her maiden international fiver-fer as Klaas was caught by Beaumont for three before finishing it off by removing Chetty to finish with the best figures of this World Cup to bowl South Africa out for 156 and set up a final with Australia on Sunday. Dean held on to a catch to dismiss Ismail as Ecclestone kept piling on the pressure to leave South Africa on the brink of 148 for eight.

Defending champion England will face six-time champion Australia in the World Cup final.

"It's a fresh slate on the morning of the game and what a story will be written for us if we can do it." England lost opener Tammy Beaumont in the fourth over but Wyatt held together the innings and built partnerships whenever possible. Wyatt wasn't used as an opener at the start of the tournament but was forced into that role and came into her own at Hagley Oval. She hit powerfully through the offside forward of point and rifled short balls to the boundary behind square. "There have been a few good catches taken off me in the tournament. Her early loss was a massive blow to South Africa's hopes of reaching their first World Cup final.

The Proteas wilted when it mattered most, delivering their worst performance of the Cricket World Cup to go down to England in Christchurch.

That left the Proteas 8/2 with their two gun batters gone, and there was simply no chance from there. Shabnim Ismail (3/46 in 10) was the pick of the Proteas bowlers, but the South Africans were poor by their standards, bowling both sides of the wicket and at inconsistent lengths. There were a total of 16 wides bowled on the day with Ayabonga Khaka (1/66 in 10) and Chloe Tryon (0/70 in 10) particularly expensive.

England will face Australia in the Women's Cricket World Cup final this weekend after a stunning victory over South Africa in Christchurch.

"We'll go into the final as underdogs but it's a fresh slate. I thought she bowled outstandingly, her and Charlie Dean in tandem on a wicket that had a little bit in it for them. "Sophie Ecclestone has been brilliant for us, that's her first five-for in international cricket as well.

Danni Wyatt's maiden World Cup ton and more spin brilliance from Sophie Ecclestone in the semi-final set up showdown with Australia.

“I actually said to Nat [Sciver] on the pitch how she would actually go in men’s international cricket. “I obviously got dropped a few times, but that’s cricket and you’ve got to cash in on days like today so I’m really happy with how it went. So today was like any other match that we’ve played in the last few games.

The Momentum Proteas are gearing up for their ICC Women's Cricket World Cup semifinal against England knowing that a win will secure their place in a ...

“They are obviously going to bring their A-game and we just need to be extremely clinical. Ahead of the semifinal, captain Sune Luus said that it would be foolish to think that the game against England will be any different. England, the defending champions, on the other hand, had to recover from a stuttering start but won four matches in a row to finish third.

SA were knocked out of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in a crushing defeat by defending champions England in Thursday's lopsided semifinal at Hagley Oval ...

The tie was over as a contest in the 19th over after Laura Goodall’s middle stump was uprooted by the spin of Charlie Dean to perish for 29 off 49. She was at the centre of crucial partnerships with Knight (41), Sciver (26) and Amy Jones (49). But it was the fifth-wicket stand off 116 from 112 balls with Sophia Dunkley (60) that led to SA needing to produce the highest successful chase in a women’s World Cup match. SA got the early breakthrough they needed when they removed dangerous Tammy Beaumont (7 off 14), captain Heather Knight (1 off 19) and Nat Sciver (15 off 18) to exert pressure. The Proteas have won an overwhelming majority of their ODI games chasing in the past two years, and in this World Cup it came as no surprise when captain Sune Luus chose to field after winning the toss. It was the second time in two World Cup tournaments SA lost in the semifinals against England. SA outplayed by England in semi to crash out of ICC Women’s World Cup

Danni Wyatt scored a century and stitched together a fifth-wicket partnership of 116 runs with Sophia Dunkley to help England post a target of 293 runs. In ...

England were enjoying the game and it was evident as they were laughing after a poor review for LBW on Tryon before Ecclestone got her the next ball as South Africa were reduced to 101 for six. Lizelle Lee was Shrubsole’s next victim as Sciver held on to a catch at midwicket to reduce South Africa to eight for two. In response, South Africa managed to score only 156 as Sophie Ecclestone was deadly with the ball, scalping six for 36.

Defending champions England set South Africa a daunting target in their semifinal. Ian Anderson is a senior Stuff sports reporter and cricket writer. ANALYSIS: ...

But in the semifinal, they ran into a buzzsaw in the form of the Indian batter, who came to the crease with her side 35-2 in the 10th over batting first. Like elite athletes at their peak, our sports journalists are highly trained in the art of news. She’ll fancy reversing that Seddon Park showing on Sunday after a rolling through South Africa’s lower order on Thursday to become clearly the tournament’s top wicket-taker. So we're asking you to support us with more than your attention. But they’ll be aware that this is the only game that really counts. Because the specialist batters have been so dominant, Australia’s tail has hardly had to take a swipe during eight matches.

The defending champions beat South Africa by 137 runs to make it through.

The best produced 116 runs for the fifth wicket with Sophie Dunkley, who made 60 from 72 balls.

Wyatt finally was out in the 45th over but England’s total was made more substantial by Sophie Ecclestone, who hit 24 runs from 11 balls before falling to the last ball of the innings.

Shrubsole then knocked off the top of the South Africa innings when she dismissed Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee within the first four overs.

Ecclestone then produced an outstanding performance to ensure South Africa had no chance of recovering, living up to her billing as the No. 1-ranked bowler in women’s one-day internationals.

“Sophie has been brilliant for us,” England captain Heather Knight said. Its only loss in the eight-team round-robin was to Australia, which is unbeaten ahead of Sunday’s final.

England, after its early losses to Australia, the West Indies and South Africa, steadily improved and, playing knockout cricket through its last five matches, fully turned the corner with wins over host New Zealand and India which clinched its semifinal spot.

Still, it was the underdog when the semifinals began and Wyatt upended expectations with an extraordinary innings which unfolded with the assistance of the South Africa fielders who dropped her five times, at 22, 36, 77, 116 and 118.

Defending champion England will face six-time champion Australia in the final of the Women’s Cricket World Cup after beating South Africa by 137 runs Thursday night in the tournament’s second semifinal at Christchurch.

Australia beat the West Indies by 157 runs in the first of the semifinals Wednesday.

England began the tournament with three straight losses but sealed its place in back-to-back finals with a massive form reversal which culminated Thursday in its fifth consecutive victory.

Opener Danni Wyatt made a career-best 129 from 125 balls as England posted 293-8 after being asked by South Africa to bat first.

Anya Shrubsole claimed the critical wicket of opener Laura Wolvaardt for a duck in the second over South Africa’s reply and Sophie Ecclestone took 6-36 — the best figures of the tournament — as England bowled out the South Africans for 156 in 38 overs.

Wolvaardt had been the leading batter at the tournament with scores of 41, 75, 77, 67, 90, 3 and 80, for 433 runs at 61.8, prior to the semifinals. Wyatt wasn’t used as an opener at the start of the tournament but was forced into that role and came into her own at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

South Africa's bowlers either were too full or too short and Wyatt revelled in the opportunities the errant length and width provided. She hit powerfully through the offside forward of point and rifled short balls to the boundary behind square.

“My plan was to capitalise on any width and run well between the wickets, just play my game," Wyatt said. Her early loss was a massive blow to South Africa’s hopes of reaching its first World Cup final.

South Africa came into the tournament ranked second in the world behind Australia and played to that ranking.

The first of three World Cups New Zealand will host over an 18 month period will come to an end this weekend as Australia play England in the final of the ...

"It's exactly where we wanted to be when we landed in New Zealand, we knew we wanted to be in Christchurch on the 3rd of April and we were going to do everything we possibly could to get there. "They're getting the opportunity to have a life outside of cricket and still come back and play the game at the highest level which is amazing." "We're about to start discussions on the next cycle and one of the starting points is going to be trying to get parity for the finishing positions for teams in women's events and comparable men's events." What has improved in recent years has been the introduction of professionalism in the women's game. Tournament CEO Andrea Nelson is proud that this tournament has played a major part in the continued growth of the women's game and hopes locals will get along to see the final. "I think the range of venues that were selected for this tournament have been ideal for a major women's event in terms of cricketing facilities."