Captain Laura Wolvaardt delivered a batting masterclass, beautifully complemented by Marizanne Kapp’s superb five-wicket haul, as South Africa outplayed England by a stunning 125 runs to secure their place in their first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup final on Wednesday.
Wolvaardt’s magnificent innings of 169 runs off just 143 balls was the anchor for South Africa’s formidable total of 319/7, setting England an imposing, record-breaking chase in the semi-final. Despite a resilient batting effort from the four-time champions, England were eventually bowled out for 194 in 42.3 overs, with Kapp leading the charge and inflicting the majority of the damage.
“It still feels a bit unreal. You dream as a kid of scoring a hundred in a World Cup knock-out game,” a delighted Wolvaardt commented after deservedly receiving the Player of the Match award. “This probably has to be right at the top, considering the context – a World Cup semi-final. It is right up there,” she added, reflecting on her phenomenal performance.
After being asked to bat first, South Africa got off to a rock-solid start, thanks to a fantastic 116-run opening partnership between Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, who contributed a valuable 45. While Sophie Ecclestone (4 for 44) spearheaded England’s attempts to regain control and twice disrupted South Africa’s momentum, Wolvaardt found unwavering support in Marizanne Kapp (42), and together they meticulously rebuilt the innings with a crucial 72-run stand.
From a challenging position of 202 for six, Wolvaardt’s calculated acceleration, featuring a delightful blend of elegant drives and powerful strokes through midwicket, propelled South Africa beyond the 300-run mark. Her monumental knock included 20 exquisite fours and four massive sixes. She brought up her 150 with a stunning six over midwicket, also passing the significant milestone of 5000 career ODI runs in the process.
Late, impactful cameos from Chloe Tryon (33* off 15 balls) and Nadine de Klerk (11* off 5 balls) added an impressive 117 runs in the final ten overs, ensuring a truly strong finish for the Proteas.
Chasing an daunting target of 320, England’s reply faltered early as Kapp struck decisively twice in her opening spell, dismissing key batters Amy Jones and Heather Knight, setting a dominant tone for South Africa’s bowling attack. Although Nat Sciver-Brunt (64) and Alice Capsey (50) forged a fighting 107-run partnership, Kapp returned at a critical juncture to remove Sciver-Brunt, effectively extinguishing England’s resistance.
Kapp concluded her exceptional performance with figures of 5 for 20, sealing a truly memorable victory for South Africa – a triumph that also banished the bitter memories of their previous league-stage collapse against the very same opposition. This monumental win also marks South Africa’s first-ever World Cup final appearance across all genders, making this achievement even more historic and significant.
The second semi-final, featuring cricketing powerhouses India and Australia, is scheduled to be played on Thursday in Navi Mumbai.