Proteas Women crush England in 'unreal' victory to bury World Cup semi-final ghosts of the past

These really are amazing times for South African cricket. 

On the back of the men’s team lifting the World Test Championship crown earlier this year, the Laura Wolvaardt-led team have now become the first senior Proteas Women’s side to forge ahead to a 50-over ICC World Cup final.

In beating, nay dismantling previous tormentors England on Wednesday evening in Guwahati, the Mandla Mshimbyi-coached team brought to an end decades of disappointment and semi-final trauma.

The final margin of a 125 runs was an accurate reflection of their dominance from the moment Wolvaardt creamed Lauren Bell’s first ball of the match through the covers.

Wolvaardt, and her Proteas team, never looked back from that moment even when England tried their utmost to claw their way back into the contest. 

But this glorious night belonged to the Proteas; Wolvaardt’s sublime 169 off 143 balls (20x4, 4x6) deserved to be enshrined on the side of the victors. Her artistry at the crease belonged in the Louvre, while she also displayed the power of a lumberjack. 

It was a World Cup innings that will be remembered for the ages by everyone that had the pleasure of witnessing it. 

"It still feels a bit unreal. I think that's sort of the thing that you dream about as a kid is scoring 100 in a World Cup, knockout game as well. Very special day and I'm so glad we won in the end," Wolvaardt said.

"(The victory) Has to be at the top. Context of the game, World Cup semi-final, winning a game against a strong side, strong bowling line-up, has to be right up there."

Three of her partners had the best seats in the house for the Wolvaardt show. Opening partner Tazmin Brits put together a solid 45 (65 balls, 6x4, 1x6) in their 116-run stand that set the tone of the innings before Marizanne Kapp’s 42 (33 balls, 4x4, 1x6) brought fresh impetus with a 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket. 

But it was the 89-run stand with Chloe Tryon (33 not out off 26 balls) during a frenetic final 10 overs that ultimately yielded 117 runs that put the Proteas out of sight at 319/7. 

"We knew the start would be crucial. Taz (Brits) and I have been strong at the top, and when we bat well, it feeds off (the rest of the order). We identified early that it was a decent wicket, so wanted to keep going," Wolvaardt said.

"We've sort of picked up the rest of the line-up, so really happy we were able to get that partnership up front. We did end up in front quite early.

"It was a decent wicket, so we just wanted to keep going. Really nice that we got to a big score because it was a pretty flat wicket out there. I think in the back of my mind, I know I had better shots (talking about the leg-side big hits towards the end), but I was really just wanting to get to the 40th over.

"I think that was really my goal today, to sort of hold things together and get to the 40th to let Nadine, Annerie, Chloe really work for those last 10. I thought while, 'I'm there, I might as well try and swing'. So yeah, happy to go a few of those leg side boundaries. Maybe needed a bit earlier."

It was this momentum that the Proteas took into the field with Kapp taking over the baton from Wolvaardt with ball in hand. 

The most senior member of the Proteas side is desperate for the perfect swansong to her international career and delivered a spectacular new-ball spell that rocked England to the core.

Kapp had England reeling at 0/2 after the first six balls of the chase with the veteran allrounder clean bowling Amy Jones with the perfect in-swinger before Heather Knight chopped on.

The Proteas were soon in dreamland when Ayabonga Khaka provided the perfect support to Kapp by finding Tammy Beaumont’s outside edge that plunged England further into the quagmire at 1/3 in the following over. 

There was no way back for England from thereon, despite captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (64) and Alice Capsey (50) valiant half-centuries that gave their side a glimmer of hope. 

But it was Kapp’s return to the attack that ended all England’s resistance when she removed Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley and Charlie Dean in quick succession to claim her second ODI five-wicket haul.

"She was so special. She was absolutely amazing. That first ball would have got anyone out. She's almost a two-in-one cricketer," Wolvaardt said of the star allrounder. 

Kapp was not on the field when Sune Luus took the final catch that sent the Proteas into their Never Never Land, but she will no doubt be leading the celebrations on a night to be remembered.

ICC WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL

South Africa: 319/7 (Wolvaardt 169, Brits 45, Kapp 42, Ecclestone 4/44)

England: 194 all out (Sciver-Brunt 64, Capsey 50, Kapp 5/20, De Klerk 2/24)

South Africa win by 125 runs