England book final date with Australia as Sciver-Brunt and Knight sink South Africa

Heather Knight (left) and Nat Sciver-Brunt put on a stand of 133. Photograph: Graham Hunt/ProSports/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen Heather Knight (left) and Nat Sciver-Brunt put on a stand of 133. Photograph: Graham Hunt/ProSports/Shutterstock England book final date with Australia as Sciver-Brunt and Knight sink South Africa England beat South Africa by 40 runs Women’s T20 World Cup hosts through to Lord’s final England launched themselves into the T20 World Cup final after defeating South Africa by 40 runs at the Oval on Thursday evening. Emotions ran high, especially after England were left reeling at 23 for three having been put in to bat. But with a crowd of 21,000 roaring them on, the World Cup hosts were jubilant at the end as a record partnership of 133 from 90 balls between Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight put them in the driving seat. Sunday’s battle against Australia at Lord’s will be their first T20 World Cup final since 2018. “I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to do today. We’ve set ourselves up with an amazing opportunity to be in a home World Cup final – you don’t get that many times in your career,” Sciver-Brunt said. “I think we’ve got what it takes.” To successfully chase the necessary 170 runs, South Africa needed their captain Laura Wolvaardt to go big; she looked in sweet touch for the first five overs. England v South Africa: Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup semi-final – live The key moment came in the sixth, courtesy of Sophie Ecclestone, who snatched the ball out of the air above her head at mid-on to send Wolvaardt packing. Eight overs later she repeated the feat, pedalling backwards at short fine leg to get rid of Suné Luus. England, and especially Ecclestone, have worked hard to shed perceptions that they are a poor and unathletic fielding team; here was a moment of vindication. Marizanne Kapp had masterminded an unlikely chase for South Africa against India earlier in the tournament, while Tazmin Brits scored a valiant 44-ball half-century at the Oval. But both fell to near-identical dismissals, mistiming catches to Sciver-Brunt at extra cover from the bowling of Charlie Dean. From 95 for five, the match gradually petered out, as England – and the crowd – struggled to contain their excitement. This was a rematch of England’s most recent T20 World Cup semi-final, in February 2023 at Newlands against the same opposition.