England squeaks into the final

Sarah Taylor delights the locals with half-century

Doing a Jonty! South Africa’s Laura Wolvaartd comes up with an effort reminiscent of her more famous male compatriot to get rid of Heather Knight.

Sarah Taylor struck a vital half-century to help England book a place in the Women’s World Cup final as it beat South Africa by two wickets on Tuesday. Taylor, back in an England shirt for this tournament after a year out of the game, hit 54 off 76 balls to give England control of the match before a mini collapse created a nail-biting finish.

Yet England, set 219 to win, held its nerve to complete its second highest successful run chase in World Cup history, built on the third-wicket partnership of 78 between Taylor and England captain Heather Knight.

Earlier, South Africa pair Laura Wolvaardt and Mignon du Preez recorded half-centuries as it reached 218 for six, after captain Dane van Niekerk elected to bat with sunny blue skies overhead.

England did make an early breakthrough when Anya Shrubsole bowled Lizelle Lee for 7, but teenager Wolvaardt took charge and laid the foundations for South Africa’s innings, scoring her fourth half-century of the tournament, which came off 81 balls and included six fours.

Taylor produced a spectacular piece of wicketkeeping to remove Trisha Chetty before Wolvaardt consolidated with Du Preez to the tune of 77 for the third wicket. Wolvaardt eventually fell to Knight, bowled off the England skipper’s second delivery of the match, prior to new bat Marizanne Kapp being run out soon.

Van Niekerk departed in similar fashion and then Jenny Gunn had Chloe Tryon caught and bowled.

Du Preez, who top-scored with 76, and Sune Luus kept the score ticking over to ensure a challenging total was posed.