This seems as good a time as any for me to bid you farewell. Australia were just two good there, too clinical for South Africa, who face England now. Can’t escape the sense that the final will be between England and Australia, which really would be great fun. There will be reports on the site shortly no doubt, and I will be back on Tuesday with Vish Ehantharajah for England’s semi-final with South Africa. Until then! Have a great weekend...
Well that was a strange game. Australia’s total always looked good, but really should have been quite a lot bigger, and they lost some very curious wickets. Then South Africa’s chase was going nicely for 30-35 overs, but fell away and was strangled by some excellent spin bowling.
What it means, is that Australia finish second, because England are just about to beat West Indies (the ninth wicket has just fallen). India, who thrashed New Zealand earlier, finish third. Here’s our semi-final lineup:
- England (1st) v South Africa (4th), Bristol, Tuesday
- Australia (2nd) v India (3rd), Derby, Thursday
The final, of course, is at Lord’s next Saturday.
Australia beat South Africa by 59 runs
50th over: South Africa 210 all out (Daniels 7*) The last over, bowled by Schutt, begins with a bad missed run out chance from Haynes at short cover. After that, it’s just a gentle knockabout. Ismail plays a nice cover drive for one, but then holes out to the final ball of the innings, driving straight to mid-off! She made a really fine 26 as things died down. But Australia win!
49th over: South Africa 207-9 (Ismail 25, Daniels 5) Perry to bowl her last. She’s done nicely today, but her pride will be dented a touch by the sight of Daniels glancing her for a fine four. A legside wide follows to bring up the 200. There’s an edged single to third man later in the over that brings Ismail on strike. She goes high and handsome down the ground, it looks like it’s going for four but a quite brilliant bit of fielding, running back from mid-on, keeps it to two. Haynes, running full speed, flicks the ball back in to play. Magic. Perry’s last goes for four: slashed through cover. She finishes with two for 47.
48th over: South Africa 195-9 (Ismail 19, Daniels 1) Well, Ismail’s having fun. She heaves Beams over the legside for a swept four. There’s a single, and Daniels pinches the stroke off the last ball. Beams finishes with one for 28 from her 10. Very well bowled.
47th over: South Africa 189-9 (Ismail 14, Daniels 0) Oh yes, Shabi Ismail. She drives the returning Perry over mid-off for four. Next ball she steps away to “access the offside”, but misses, and then defends to mid-off. One more came from the over.
INDIA HAVE BEATEN NEW ZEALAND BY 186 RUNS AND QUALIFY FOR THE SEMI-FINALS! New Zealand were bowled out for just 79. Oh dear.
46th over: South Africa 184-9 (Ismail 9, Daniels 0) Daniels is in, and looking a touch reluctant, but she survives two balls from Beams. Well done her. Four overs left.
Wicket! Klass b Beams 9 (SA 184-9)
I was starting to wonder if those two might bat out the overs, but Klaas is gone, and finally a wicket form beams, who bowled beautifully. It’s flat again and just skids through her defences. Castled.
45th over: South Africa 183-8 (Ismail 8, Klaas 9) Gardner’s last is a really nice over. Not quite sure how she hasn’t taken a wicket. Two chances escape Australia in this over: a spoon from Ismail lands safe, then she dances down, misses and Healy spurns the stumping chance! Oh well, just one from the over, and her 10 overs cost just 31. Great effort.
44th over: South Africa 182-8 (Ismail 7, Klaas 9) Beams returns, and there are three dots to start, then a really flat toppie takes Klaas’s inside edge and runs away for two. Those are the only runs from the over.
43rd over: South Africa 180-8 (Ismail 7, Klaas 7) Haynes decides it’s time for spin from both ends. Maybe she wants to get on the bus to Derby ahead of Thursday’s semi. Barring something remarkable, that’ll be what happens. It’s a good over, with just two singles from it. There’s a drop off the final ball, though: Ismail drills it straight back at her and she spills, but it’s more reflex than a proper drop. Australia do not look fussed.
42nd over: South Africa 178-8 (Ismail 6, Klaas 6) Just the one from Jonassen’s last over, and she finishes with two for 40 from her 10. Great effort, and a big part of Australia’s success in this game. 92 required...
41st over: South Africa 176-8 (Ismail 5, Klaas 5) Five from Perry’s over, including booming cover drive for two. 94 required...
40th over: South Africa 171-8 (Ismail 2, Klaas 3) Jonassen continues. There are three singles from the over, as South Africa just poke about. I wonder what the plan will be? Bit of slogging, surely? Doesn’t appear to be NRR worries etc. Anyway, they need 99 more with 60 balls remaining. Seems a long shot.
39th over: South Africa 168-8 (Ismail 1, Klaas 1) Masabata Klaas is the new batsman, and she’s away with a single, before Ismail plays and misses. She gets a single, then there’s a legbye, and then the over ends. Two wickets from it.
New Zealand are 61-6 and heading home....
Wicket! Khaka lbw b Perry 0 (SA 165-8)
Perry begins with a wide to the new bat Khaka, but next ball arrows one in at the pads and up goes the finger! Possibly sliding down, but looks a decent shout. This will be over soon.
Wicket! Luus c Healy b Perry 6 (SA 164-7)
South Africa are subsiding. Luus nicks the first ball of Perry’s over through to Healy, and has to go. 106 required from 66.
Updated
38th over: South Africa 164-6 (Luus 6, Ismail 0) Ismail in, and Jonasse starts with three dots to her. Very handy time for a wicket maiden for Australia, who are right in charge.
Wicket! Van Niekerk b Jonassen 1! (SA 164-6)
South Africa’s hopes of a first win over Australia slip further away as Jonassen gets the skipper in a bit of a tangly mess of a played on dismissal.
37th over: South Africa 164-5 (Luus 6, Van Niekerk 1) Well the rest of Perry’s over sees two singles. These two did the job with the ball and now have a huge role with the bat: SA need 106 from 78.
Wicket! Kapp run out Blackwell 19 (SA 162-5)
This is a howler. An absolute howler from the umpire Chris Brown. But it’s also a brilliant bit of fielding. Kapp has pushed into the offside and set off. Blackwell picks up and pulls off an awesome direct hit that has Kapp diving to make her ground. The finger goes straight up, but replays show her dive was good and she’d made her ground.
36th over: South Africa 162-4 (Kapp 19, Luus 5) Here’s Jonassen again, and after three singles, Kapp goes after her. She skips down and carts her into the gap between cow and long-on. Another single follows, then Luss finds mid-off with the last.
35th over: South Africa 154-4 (Kapp 13, Luus 3) Haynes took two for 12 from her two, but off she goes. Perry back. Hell of an impact. Kapp starts the over with a single again, then Luus gets off the mark with two through midwicket. Problem is, three dots follow. A single ends the over, and South Africa need 116 from 90 balls.
Katey Martin is gone at Derby, where New Zealand 49 for three after 16, and need 266 to win.
34rd over: South Africa 150-4 (Kapp 12, Luus 0) Luus, she of the five-fer, in to take on her fellow leggie Beams. Just one from the over, and that went to Kapp. Beams has done a great job: seven overs for 19.
33rd over: South Africa 149-4 (Kapp 11, Luus 0) The over ends with a single, to Kapp behind square. Nine from it, but more importantly the wicket of the set batsman. Not sure Wolvaardt needed to do that. Luus is in.
Wicket! Wolvaardt c Gardner b Haynes 71 (South Africa 148-4)
South Africa started Haynes’ over really well. Wolvaardt drives her for two, then turns her to long leg for one. Maybe missed out a touch. But Kapp makes up for it with a wonderful cover driven four. After another single, Wolvaardt launches into the legside but is caught at the same spot as du Preez! Gardner makes no mistake again.
32nd over: South Africa 140-3 (Wolvaardt 68, Kapp 5) I get the impression that there’s nothing Laura Wolvaardt wants more than the return of Australia’s seamers. It’s not happening though, as back comes Beams. And with good reason: one comes from the first five balls, a second-ball single to Wolvaardt. But Beams blots her copybook with the last, a rancid long hop that is smashed away for four by Kapp.
31st over: South Africa 135-3 (Wolvaardt 67, Kapp 1) Great time for Australia to pick a wicket up, that. There are three singles from the over, with Kapp underway with one from her first ball.
Wicket! Du Preez c Gardner b Haynes 20 (South Africa 132-3)
Oh dear. Rachael Haynes brings her left-arm seam on, and goes round the wicket to Filet Mignon. She starts with a rank full toss that should have been hit into Devon, but instead she picks out the fielder in the deep. Can’t have been that far off being a no-ball to be honest. Certain karmic quality to it after Luus picked up three wickets with fullies earlier.
30th over: South Africa 132-2 (Wolvaardt 65, du Preez 20) Sense is that South Africa know they need to kick on a touch. they are being strangled by spin and have many wickets in hand. Wolvaardt picks up two then one, but then there are two dots. Du Preez ends the over with a swept one.
29th over: South Africa 128-2 (Wolvaardt 62, du Preez 19) Mignon steps right across to sweep Jonassen, but it only brings her one. Wolvaardt gets one to cover, then Jonassen gets one to stick and grip at Du Preez and there’s nearly a return catch. Two from the over, and South Africa are being tied down again.
142 required from 126 balls.
28th over: South Africa 126-2 (Wolvaardt 61, du Preez 19) Gardner into her seventh, and she’s liking this round the wicket line to Wolvaardt. She drives her through the offside and picks up one, then Filet Mignon takes one of her own. Tricky end to the over: a false stroke from Wolvaardt lands safe, while du Preez is beaten by one and they dash through for a bye.
27th over: South Africa 122-2 (Wolvaardt 59, du Preez 17) Oh that’s lovely from du Preez. She clips Jonassen through square-leg and that’s four! First for four overs or so. Couple of dots follow, then a single for each batsman. Six from it.
26th over: South Africa 116-2 (Wolvaardt 58, du Preez 12) Gardner returns in place of Beams, who was bowling so nicely. There are a pair of singles from the first three, then two singles from the second three as well!
25th over: South Africa 112-2 (Wolvaardt 56, du Preez 10) With Beams going so well, back comes Jonassen. More dots either side of a two into the offside for Filet. Four come from the over in the end, including a tidy sweep from Wolvaardt, who has been tamed, rather. Halfway through their overs, chasing 270, South Africa have a platform, but are being pegged back a touch.
24th over: South Africa 108-2 (Wolvaardt 55, du Preez 7) Beams starts with a couple of dots to Filet Mignon du Preez. Then there’s a single into the legside, before three dots at Wolvaardt. Beams has conceded one run in her last two overs, and is bowling very tidily. 14 from her five so far.
23rd over: South Africa 107-2 (Wolvaardt 55, du Preez 6) Back comes Schutt, and immediately South Africa have their 100 with a single for Wolvaardt. Next ball is beautifully cover driven for four by Filet Mignon to get off the mark, then there’s a single that could have been tight with a decent throw. The throw, alas, was not decent. Over ends with two more singles, and there’s eight from it.
22nd over: South Africa 99-2 (Wolvaardt 53, du Preez 0) Well, Beams ghosts through a wicket maiden. Sort of, cos it’s not her wicket, but it is a wicket. Know what I mean? That run out had been coming, it has to be said. Mess.
Wicket! Chetty run out Perry 37 (South Africa 99-2)
Beams gets us going after drinks, and what a mess! Chetty is gone, run out from the deep. It’s knocked out to Perry at deep square, and they take the easy first. The second is disputed, they come back for it, and she’s run out by a mile! Dear, oh dear.
During drinks, worth mentioning that New Zealand are in real trouble: 11 for two, with Bates and Priest gone. Huge job for Satterthwaite, Martin and Priest chasing 266.
21st over: South Africa 98-1 (Wolvaardt 53, Chetty 36) More Villani, and she very nearly forces the mistake from Wolvaardt! Rank outside off and skewed very near the fielder at point. Doesn’t find her though. Next ball they run two with another nice drive through the offside. Get a short cover in! Another single through that region. The last ball of the over sees Trish pinch the strike with the fifth run of the over. That’ll be drinks.
Correct. Tall Blacks the best of the lot, of course.
@willis_macp But Kiwis get the nicknames right: All Blacks, Black Caps, White Ferns etc
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
20th over: South Africa 93-1 (Wolvaardt 50, Chetty 34) There’s Wolvaardt’s 5o, from the first ball of Beams’ third. She gets there with an offside single from her 61st ball. Very nicely played. Offside dominant all day, and that’s the third 50 of the tournament for the 18-year-old. Later in the over Trish drives uppishly through cover but is safe, and there are just two singles from the over.
Updated
19th over: South Africa 91-1 (Wolvaardt 49, Chetty 33) Interesting. Time for Villani to bowl some grim meds. I thought Gardner was doing a very good job. There are singles from each of the first three, then two from the fourth for Trish - but again there’s a bit of hesitation. Singles return for the final two.
India have got Suzie Bates in the second over! Are New Zealand on their way out? 5 for 1 chasing 266.
18th over: South Africa 84-1 (Wolvaardt 46, Chetty 29) I don’t feel these two are totally comfortable running between the wickets, and there hasn’t been a boundary since the 12th over. There are five runs from Beams’ over, though, with three singles (the third brings up the 50 stand), then a nicely driven two for Trish which Blackwell does well to cut off.
17th over: South Africa 79-1 (Wolvaardt 44, Chetty 26) Haynes sticks with the spin twins, and Gardner’s getting herself a bit of round the wicket action. Wolvaardt getting a little tied down. After a Chetty single, she soaks up four dots, then pinches the strikes.That’ll be drinks.
Indeed, the Southern Stars are no more! Always thought it a bit twee.
@willis_macp If Proteas keep this up (and don't lose wickets) they have a great chance. Aus, meanwhile, don't even have an official nickname
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
16th over: South Africa 77-1 (Wolvaardt 43, Chetty 25) Legspin for the first time from Australia. It was a very successful method for the South Africans. Kristen Beams doing the bowling, and there are four singles from the over, all popped in to gaps, all uneventful.
15th over: South Africa 73-1 (Wolvaardt 41, Chetty 23) Tidy, quiet over from Gardner. Five from it, three in singles, with two coming from a fine outside edge off the last. Ran two, should have pushed for three. Never mind.
14th over: South Africa 68-1 (Wolvaardt 39, Chetty 20) Nice calm stuff from South Africa against Perry. Singles off the first four, with the minimum of fuss. The fifth is fuller and slower, and defended by Trisha Chetty, who I have an overwhelming urge to call Trish, so I’m going to. She finds point with the last.
13th over: South Africa 64-1 (Wolvaardt 37, Chetty 18) Gardner’s one of those offies who just ghosts through her overs. The first four balls of this one bring singles, then there’s a bit of a mix-up from the fifth as Chetty changes her mind and sends Wolvaardt back. The last ball brings a far calmer single and South Africa need 206 more from 37.
12th over: South Africa 59-1 (Wolvaardt 35, Chetty 15) More Perry. She’s carted away by Chetty for four through midwicket. An ugly but effective heave. There’s an elegant single behind square on the offside, then some tight stuff to Wolvaardt, who Australia would love to get soon. Five from the over.
11th over: South Africa 54-1 (Wolvaardt 35, Chetty 10) Gardner’s second begins with a pretty ropey misfield from the captain Haynes at mid-off. Costs two. Chetty plays around the next ball and there’s a big lbw shout. No dice. It’s a good over, though, probing, and there are no more runs until Chetty drives the last through cover for one.
Updated
10th over: South Africa 51-1 (Wolvaardt 35, Chetty 7) Chetty gets off strike first ball to Perry, then Wolvaardt brings the 50 up with a nice cut two. Dots for the rest of the over, and that’s the powerplay done.
Ha! Very good shout, this.
@willis_macp Re the other South African team, surely (apart from the hair) Philander would be brilliant in an Enter the Dragon remake? pic.twitter.com/mtOS41gwLO
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
9th over: South Africa 48-1 (Wolvaardt 33, Chetty 6) Gardner replaces Schutt. Offies. Starts with a single from Wolvaardt, but four dots follow. Quick single ends the set of six. One more in the powerplay.
Updated
8th over: South Africa 46-1 (Wolvaardt 32, Chetty 5) Perry is on and there’s immediately a drop! Chetty flicks hard through the legside and the chance is spilled at square-leg, moving to her left! Should have been taken. That’s one of five dots, but the over ends with Chetty’s first boundary: a cut that just evades the point fielder. Nicely played, but a poor ball.
India finished with 265 for seven. Raj made 109.
7th over: South Africa 42-1 (Wolvaardt 32, Chetty 1) The Aussies are very chirpy all of a sudden. Wolvaardt defends, then drives beautifully through extra-cover (the fielder there should have done better), and it goes all the way for four! Perry is now posted out on the fence, but it beats here too. There’s a single into the offside (better fielding this time), then Chetty is defending Schutt. She gets off the mark to fine-leg and the over ends with the shot of the day: a perfect, nonchalant straight-driven four. She has seven boundaries in seven overs!
Careless from Lee there, no need for it. Need to be sensible for a while I reckon.
@willis_macp Glad that SA are being bright and tough in this chase.
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
(Attempting to cheer self up: WI have scored runs, so we're dooooomed.)
Updated
6th over: South Africa 32-1 (Wolvaardt 23, Chetty 0) Chetty survives the final ball of the over.
Updated
Wicket! Lee c Haynes b Jonassen 9 (SA 32-1)
Finally, some strike for Lee! After defending Jonassen, she sweeps brilliantly for four! The next ball is turned into a similar region, with the same outcome but a different method. Stays on both feet this time and just turns it there!
Oh dear. Lizelle Lee. there was really no need for that. She’s tried to launch Jonassen down the ground, but totally skied it, and round comes the skipper Haynes to take a decent catch in the offside. Goes for nine. Delivery was a touch loopier, and it’s done for Lee.
5th over: South Africa 24-0 (Wolvaardt 23, Lee 1) Wolvaardt is a masterful strike-keeper. Lee has faced just three balls! Wolvaardt picks out midwicket, but then finds the fence at deep point with a swiped drive. Later in the over there’s a second four, and fifth of the innings, as Schutt is driven on the up through cover. Really did nothing wrong, the bowler.
4th over: South Africa 16-0 (Wolvaardt 15, Lee 1) Jonassen gets three dots out of Wolvaardt early, all driven into the packed offside field. The fourth is straighter, and she tries to turn to leg, but scuffs. The last ball of the over sees her keep the strike with a push into the offside.
India, by the way, are 249 for four, with 12 balls remaining. Raj has a ton, and Krishnamurthy has been teeing off: she has 64 from 40.
3rd over: South Africa 15-0 (Wolvaardt 14, Lee 1) Schutt starts with three dots to Wolvaardt, but there’s four more! That’s gone through Perry at point. Hit hard, bobbled, but should have been stopped. Wolvaardt digs one out for one down to third man. Lee defends the last, and South Africa have made a decent start to their chase of 270.
2nd over: South Africa 10-0 (Wolvaardt 9, Lee 1) Spin, then. Jess Jonassen, not Gardner, the chosen one, and she has a slip. Lee is off the mark with an ugly inside edge through midwicket, then there’s a glorious cover-driven punch for four from Wolvaardt. Delightful, and on the up. Two dots follow, then a single to end the over.
Thank you for the Good Vibrations.
I'm sending good vibrations https://t.co/uAYFIM1Ckc
— Chris Drew (@mesnilman) July 15, 2017
1st over: South Africa 4-0 (Wolvaardt 4, Lee 0) Strange start, as Schutt gets all the way through her action, but doesn’t let the ball go. When she does, four dots get us going, then there’s a sweetly timed drive through cover for four. Three fielders converging on it, all of them lose the race. Nice shot.
Here we go: Schutt to Wolvaardt.
I’m back! With some very uninspiring food. Anyway, SA’s chase of 270 will begin shortly.
Right, I’m off to get myself something to eat. I’ll be back in 20 minutes or so. Speak then.
They were great fun! So many half-trackers and fullies, but who cares? Did the job, and she ended with five for 67 from her 10. Perry is chatting at the moment and she reckons batting isn’t too easy: 270 will be one hell of a chase, that’s for sure.
@willis_macp Luus' figures sound fun. Still think this is 90:10 in favour of Aus.
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
Elsewhere, Marsh n Gunn remember what bats are for: 214-7
Australia out for 269!
Kapp has two in two to finish the job as Beams goes plumb lbw. Australia all out for 269 with nine balls to spare.
What a curious innings that was! Australia were 114 without loss, and 229 for four. But they lost six for 40 at the end there. This still looks a very good total, and SA have shown the way: pace off. Two for DvN, a curious Michelle for Sune Luus and Kapp ended with two, too.
South Africa need 270 to win.
Wicket! Schutt b Kapp 11 (Australia 269-9)
Well pace off worked, but Kapp is coming back to bowl the penultimate over. She’s too canny for Schutt first ball outside off, and the next bowls her! Trying to play across the line, Schutt is gawwwwn.
48th over: Australia 269-8 (Jonassen 5, Schutt 11) The highlight of DvN’s eighth is a fine swept four by Schutt. Seven from it... Two to go.
India have lost two quickies, by the way. They are 154 for four after 37.
47th over: Australia 261-8 (Jonassen 3, Schutt 5) Luus ends with very fun figures of 10-0-67-5. Three dots from the over, three wickets with full tosses in the spell, but she was great to watch.
46th over: Australia 258-8 (Jonassen 1, Schutt 4) DvN carries on, and is well swept for four by Schutt. Those are her first runs of the tournament! Schutt is cool as, I reckon. There are no other runs from the over. Luus’s last is coming up.
45th over: Australia 254-8 (Jonassen 1, Schutt 0) Three dots finish a really good over from Luus, who has a five-fer!
SA have fought back very well here. Australia definitely won’t be out of reach at half-time.
@willis_macp Looks like SA are going to need some Lizelle Lee magic to overhaul this one. And Eng are 7 down without 200 yet. :(
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
Wicket! Gardner c Daniels b Luus 4! (Australia 254-8)
Luus gets a ninth. Comical figures of four for 62 so far. And now she has five! Gardner ran two but has driven her straight to long-off, where Daniels takes another really fine catch!
I am. There’s ... a ... long ... way ... to ... go.
@willis_macp Are you doing the whole match, Will?
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
Have some sympathy coffee* to help you keep going.
*Entirely imaginary, of course.
44th over: Australia 252-7 (Gardner 2, Jonassen 1) Australia are a reasonable chance of getting bowled out here. And now South Africa have missed a chance. DvN is driven in the air by Jonassen to cover, where Kapp doesn’t seem to pick it up and drops a tough one-handed chance! It’s all happening. They run one, and Gardner hits into a gap later in the over for one.
Wicket! Healy c Daniels b Luus 16! (Australia 250-7)
43rd over: Australia 250-7 (Gardner 1) Well Ash Gardner is the new batsman. Luus continues, and after a couple of singles and a wide, Healy clumps her down the ground for four. Not out the middle from the full toss, but that’ll do. Goes big again next ball, a shorter one, and it’s a one bounce four pulled to cow! A third boundary follows, this one diverted past the short fine-leg fielder.
That’s Australia’s 250, and this expensive over ends with a wicket! It’s another full toss, Luus’s third wicket with a fullie, and Healy drills it down the ground but is caught well on the fence by Daniels. Luus has four.
Wicket! Blackwell c Klaas b van Niekerk 32! (Australia 235-6)
42nd over: Australia 235-6 (Healy 3) Leggies from both ends, as DvN brings herself back. One run from the first three, until Blackwell dabs a lovely late cut down to third man for two. There’s a reasonable lbw shout turned down (looked pretty good...) but next ball she’s tracked her and drilled it straight to mid-on, where a decent catch is taken.
41st over: Australia 232-5 (Blackwell 31, Healy 2) Healy, the new batsman, is away immediately with a drive down the ground off a loopy one. Blackwell gets one there too, before another single for Helay ends it. Three from the over, and a wicket.
Wicket! Perry c Kapp b Luus 55! (Australia 229-5)
Slightly surprised to see Luus return to the attack but she’s done the trick! Perry has pulled her straight to midwicket! Ends a very fine knock, her fifth straight half-century.
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40th over: Australia 229-4 (Perry 55, Blackwell 30) Blackwell is getting funky on the crease, darting around and having a bit of fun. She’s trying to get Kapp off her line, but it only gets her a single to deep point. Perry nicks a slower ball, but it falls short of the keeper. After a couple more dots, a thicker edge runs away to the third man fence for four! A single down there ends the over.
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39th over: Australia 222-4 (Perry 50, Blackwell 19) Weird, just the one over for Ismail. Klaas is back, and she’s driven down the ground for a brilliant four by Blackwell! Next ball is another head-high full toss, which is swatted past the keeper for four by Blackwell. She had had a warning for a previous above waist jobbie, and now she has to be taken out of the attack.
Daniels to take over. Bit of a thankless task. There’s a single from the free hit, then Perry reaches a very fine 51-ball half-century, her fifth on the spin this tournament. Ridiculous player. Penultimate ball is swatted away through wide long-on for four by Blackwell, who ends the over with a drive to deep cover for one. What an eventful over! A milestone, 15 runs, a two bowlers, and three boundaries!
38th over: Australia 207-4 (Perry 49, Blackwell 15) Kapp’s back with Ismail. He starts with two dots but then there are a couple of wides, and a single for each of the batsmen, which brings up the 50 stand. Kapp’s wearing a huge watch, which I always find a hilarious quality in a cricketer. Ravi Rampaul is arguably the world leader in this genre. The eight-ball over ends with a single to Blackwell.
What an achievement that is. India 117 for two after 30 against New Zealand.
The India captain @M_Raj03 has scored her 50th ODI half century!
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) July 15, 2017
Amazing! #WWC17 pic.twitter.com/E837rWfk1b
37th over: Australia 202-4 (Perry 48, Blackwell 13) Back comes Ismail. And not an over too soon. I say that, but her first ball is a full toss on leg stump and is flicked away for four behind square by Perry. The next is a similar line and brings two into the legside. They trade singles and this partnership, in the blink of an eye, is approaching 50. There’s a dot, then Perry elegantly guides down to third man for four to bring up the 200.
Ah, this is lovely stuff! Hope they are all having a great day.
@willis_macp shout out to mascot kids from @StBreockSchool #WWC2017 match today #ausvsa @CornwallCricket pic.twitter.com/DPV5ZpyOgZ
— amanda pennington (@aapennington) July 15, 2017
36th over: Australia 190-4 (Perry 37, Blackwell 12) Klaas continues and is bowling well outside off, particularly to Blackwell. They take a single from each of the first three balls, before a straighter one brings a dot. We are in the powerplay now, by the way. Oh dear, that’s rank from Klaas: a head-high full toss to Perry is swiped away off the top egde for four, and of course that’s a free hit too. Just gets a single as it’s nicely bowled. The last is a dot, but there’s nine from the over.
35th over: Australia 181-4 (Perry 30, Blackwell 8) Oosh! We have out first six of the day! Luus serves up an ugly full toss to Perry and she trots down and bashes it over long-on for six. A single follows, then a dot to Blackwell. A misfield off her own bowling costs Luus a run, then Perry drives to long-off for one. The last is cut for one by Blackwell. 10 from it, and I wonder whether we might have seen the last of Luus: Ismail, Kapp and DvN have six left each.
34th over: Australia 171-4 (Perry 23, Blackwell 8) Klaas returns in place of Daniels. Three dots to start to Blackwell, but a full toss is driven to cover for a very tight single – again a direct hit would have had Perry I reckon. She clobbers into the wicketkeeper as she tries to gather, and they both hit the deck, but are absolutely fine. Perry gets a single of her own, and there are two from the over.
Drinks seem a decent opportunity to update you on the state of things at Derby. The big one. India are 92 for two against New Zealand with Mithali Raj on 44 and Harmanpreet Kaur 28. They have out on 71, and they are into the 26th over, so it’s not rapid scoring.
33rd over: Australia 169-4 (Perry 22, Blackwell 7) Luus into the third of her spell. After a single and a dot, there’s a very poor bit of fielding in the deep, and Blackwell has her first boundary. It’s a full toss and it’s carted away, but Ismail should cut it off but it just goes straight through her. Did so well to make the ground, too. One more single to Blackwell in the over, and there are drinks coming out.
32nd over: Australia 163-4 (Perry 21, Blackwell 2) Daniels is looking tidy here. There are just two singles from the over. Not much else to tell you about it.
31st over: Australia 161-4 (Perry 20, Blackwell 1) Well there’s no hat-trick for Luus as Perry cuts a shortish, wideish one for a single. No bat-pad or anything for it. Shame. Anyway, she wants to bowl at Blackwell and begins with four dots to her. Bit more chirp about the South Africans at the moment. A single to mid-off ends the over and gets Blackwell on the board.
By the way, this is well worth your time.
#WWC17: Superb interview with 100-capper Katherine Brunt by @PhilWalkerAOChttps://t.co/Dg3DxL4TNh
— AllOutCricket (@AllOutCricket) July 15, 2017
30th over: Australia 159-4 (Perry 19, Blackwell 0) Well, South Africa needed that. Daniels continues and finds three dots to Perry at the start of it. Then there’s a bad misfield by Lizelle Lee at backward-point and that costs four! Straight through her. There’s a single to mid-off (a direct hit might have had Perry), then Blackwell defends her first.
Wicket! Villani b Luus 0 (Australia 154-4)
29th over: Australia 154-4 (Perry 14) Villani goes first ball! Tossed up down leg, she’s tried to sweep and it’s bowled her off the glove I reckon. Luus has done the business! She’ll be on a hat-trick at the start of her next.
Wicket! Bolton c Kapp b Luus 79 (Australia 154-3)
I said DvN would bowl through. I was wrong. Luus returns. There’s a single for each batsman, then a dot to Perry, who picks up a single next ball. Oh my word. Nicole Bolton: what have you done? A rancid full toss finds its way straight to cover. Straight to her, and Kapp makes no mistake. Horrible ball, horrible stroke, and Bolton is spewing with herself. Dear oh dear.
Updated
28th over: Australia 151-2 (Bolton 78, Perry 12) Daniels and her left-armers are on to replace Khaka, and after a dot, she’s carted away for four by Bolton. Short, straight and flogged through midwicket. Next up there’s a single into the offside to bring up Australia’s 150. The over ends with a driven single to mid-off for Perry, and in no time at all this stand is worth 34.
It really was an impressive gaffe from the ground announcer to call her Trisha Chetty when she walked out. Up there with the best.
@willis_macp Who is this unknown Ellyse Perry? The way you say it one would think she's in the ICC top ten in both batting and bowling.
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
27th over: Australia 145-2 (Bolton 73, Perry 11) I reckon DvN will probably bowl through here. This is her fourth. There’s a single to Bolton, a couple of dots to Perry, then, to everyone’s surprise, a no-ball! That means there’s a free hit, which Perry just carts over the legside for four. The last two are defended.
26th over: Australia 139-2 (Bolton 72, Perry 7) Khaka into her eighth. She’s been the pick of the attack I’d say. There’s a single for each batsman, then a couple of dots, before Perry picks up her first boundary: a beautiful drive through cover point for four. Was full and wide but very nicely played.
India are 67 for two in the 20th against New Zealand, by the way.
25th over: Australia 133-2 (Bolton 71, Perry 2) That’s class to start DvN’s new over from Bolton. Pulled away between the two fielders in the deep for four. She’s getting up towards a run a ball now. There’s a single out to those folks in the deep, then a wide down the legside to the right-hander Perry is missed by Chetty and runs away for five. DvN recovers well, with two decent nuts to her Sydney Sixers’ team-mate, who takes a single to deep extra to end the over. That’s the halfway stage. Australia well places.
24th over: Australia 122-2 (Bolton 66, Perry 1) Out comes the little known Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry, and the ground announcer introduces her as Trisha Chetty. No mate, that’s the South African keeper. Just cos they both wear No8, yeah? Perry has half-centuries in her last four innings.
Anyway, here comes Khaka for here seventh. She’s let down by her fielder again, as Ismail misfields at mid-on to gift Bolton two. There’s then a tight single to midwicket, which Perry does well to scamper through for, then gets off the mark with a stylish guide to third man for one. Bolton pinches the strike at over’s end.
Wicket! Haynes c&b van Niekerk 0 (Australia 117-2
23rd over: Australia 117-2 (Bolton 62) Ugly bit of fielding at long-on gifts Bolton an extra run off DvN, and then they take a single next ball. Haynes is watchful at the start of her innings, but from the last ball of the over she’s just patted back to the bowler! The leggie stuck in the pitch a little bit and it’s the simplest of catches...
Eurgh, England in trouble!
@guerillacricket @willis_macp And Sciver bowled first ball. Eng 91/4. We're doomed to play our semi in Derby aren't we?
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
22nd over: Australia 114-1 (Bolton 59, Haynes 0) Three balls left, and the stand-in skip Haynes to the crease. Three dots to start for her, and that’s a very fine over. One from it, and a wicket. Really was an ugly heave from Mooney, but was worth her kicking on when set.
Wicket! Mooney b Khaka 54 (Australia 114-1)
Relief for South Africa. Khaka has deserved that. After a single for Bolton, Mooney has a big swipe, misses and is bowled. Opening stand ends at a very, very handy 114.
21st over: Australia 113-0 (Mooney 53, Bolton 58) Here she is. The skipper, Dane van Niekerk, the leading wicket taker this tournament. Mooney turns the leggie to leg for one, then Bolton drives back to the bowler and there’s nearly a run out at the nonstriker’s as DvN gets a little deflection on it. They run one, as they do next ball, to deep midwicket. The over ends with two dots, and there’s four from it. Good start.
20th over: Australia 109-0 (Mooney 51, Bolton 56) Khaka replaces Klaas, and Mooney reaches her half-century with a drive through point that brings two. Just 52 balls for hers, with eight boundaries. She gets one to mid-off, then Bolton, who is standing way outside her ground (worth the keeper standing up?), plays out three dots. Slightly calmer over, just four from it. Must be time for some van Niekerk.
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19th over: Australia 105-0 (Mooney 48, Bolton 55) Australia are kicking on. Luus is whacked over the offside for four by Mooney, then next ball a full toss is walloped over the legside for another boundary! That’s five in the last eight balls. A deft cut is saved brilliantly on the third man fence by Lizelle Lee, but they still get through for three. That’s the hundred stand. There’s a single for Bolton, but Mooney finishes the over with a brilliant extra-cover drive for four!
16 from the over (28 from the last two) and the charge is well and truly on. What are you going to do about it, Ravi?
@willis_macp May not be multi-tasking enough. Aus doing better than Eng. Ind stuttering. Finish Austen novel to keep @samjordison happy?
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
18th over: Australia 89-0 (Mooney 33, Bolton 54) Oh yes, Nicole Bolton. First ball after drinks is full and on her pads from Klaas and she flicks it away for four. A ball later, unfortunately, the umpires have a chat about the rain falling, but decide to stay out there! Good on ya, umps. Chris Brown from New Zealand and Langton Rusere of Zimbabwe are the men in, erm, red coats for this game.
Three dots follow that boundary, but there’s four more, which takes Bolton to 50! That’s lovely. Again, full on the pads and she drills it through midwicket, all along the floor. Took her 61 balls and that’s her seventh four. Her eighth follows next ball - a low, flat pull. Beautiful stuff.
Just while they take drinks, there are some people with umbrellas up and it generally looks a bit mizzly and miserable...
17th over: Australia 77-0 (Mooney 33, Bolton 42) Spin! It’s lovely Sune Luus and her leggies. Ah, that’s a loose one (sorry) to begin with. Flat, short and boshed away to cow for four by Bolton. The next is much better, and Bolton defends, then drills out to that fielder at cow for one. There are two more singles from the over, drilled down the ground for Mooney, then into the covers for Bolton. Good fielding there.
Anyway, that’s drinks. Australia just starting to take control.
16th over: Australia 70-0 (Mooney 32, Bolton 36) Klaas continues, but I’m slightly surprised that we are yet to see any spin. Lots of wickets for tweakers at Taunton this tournament. Five from the over: one to Bolton to deep-square, then a slashed four for Mooney, who gave herself room through the off-side.
15th over: Australia 65-0 (Mooney 28, Bolton 35) Khaka is carted wide of mid-on, who gives chase in vain as it runs away for four. Rank shot, but what does that matter? Bowler looks non-plussed at best, peeved at worst, and follows up with a decent piece of fielding off here own bowling. But she strays on to Bolton’s pads twice, and she picks up a pair of twos through square-leg, and then there’s four through midwicket... A bad over for South Africa ends very badly when a simple stop at mid-off goes through and costs a run. Bolton took 13 from that one.
News from Derby: India are 53 for two against New Zealand. Raj and Kaur at the crease in the 16th.
14th over: Australia 52-0 (Mooney 28, Bolton 22) A fifth seamer: Masabata Klaas comes on to replace Daniels, and she’s immediately cut away for one by Mooney. Bolton picks one up into the legside, then Mooney shows real aggression for the first time: she drills over mid-on. Doesn’t get all of it, but gets enough of it to go over Kapp’s head and gets four. She picks out cover three more times thereafter. Seem to be swarms of South African fielders in there.
13th over: Australia 46-0 (Mooney 23, Bolton 21) Khaka, who has started so well, bowls six dots to Bolton, all of them very fine balls.
Australia going old school: retention of wickets while it’s tough. Think they will be pretty happy, even if they’re not yet ticking along at four an over. Never *quite* been tied down – can SA keep the shackles on after that maiden?
@willis_macp Have to say that, despite the Loz of Winfield (see what I did there?) Eng have a better start than Aus: SA women doing well.
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
12th over: Australia 46-0 (Mooney 23, Bolton 21) Couple of dots from Daniels to Mooney, but oooph that’s a lovely stroke. Perhaps an attempted slower ball from the left-armer but it’s short and wide and Mooney cuts gorgeously behind point. She gets four for it, but I’d give her more. Daniels recovers well, and there’s just four from the over.
11th over: Australia 42-0 (Mooney 19, Bolton 21) More Khaka, and she starts well, with three dots to Bolton. She gets herself off strike to mid-on. Bolton sends her back next ball, but pinches with the strike with a scamper to mid-off. Two from it, and five from Khaka’s first two.
#Pray4Palfreyman
Am trying to fry my brain: watching Eng v WI, listening to @guerillacricket for Eng v SA, and reading @willis_macp on Aus v SA. And tweeting
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
10th over: Australia 40-0 (Mooney 18, Bolton 20) Camera pans to the balcony, where Megan Schutt has got herself a water-pistol and is taking aim at her team-mates and coaches below. What japes.
Another change in the bowling! It’s the leftie, Moseline Daniels. I like her action a lot, nice and wide on the crease. Anyway, there’s a single down the ground for Mooney, then a pair of legside twos for Bolton, and a wide in between. Over ends with a single for Bolton, who has overtaken Mooney for the first time. That’s the powerplay done, and Australia will surely be happier. Steady, not spectacular.
9th over: Australia 33-0 (Mooney 17, Bolton 15) A bowling change! It’s Khaka. She’s instantly troubling Bolton, more with lack of pace than anything else, and they scamper through for a leg-bye second ball, after a stifled lbw appeal first up. Mooney gets a single, then Khaka strays onto Bolton’s pad off the final ball and is flicked away for two.
This is cool from the game at Grace Road (or, as we are supposed to call it, the Fischer County Ground).
Interesting piece of history here @leicsccc. First @cricketworldcup match where all ppl on field (incl. umpires) are women. #PAKvSL #WWC17
— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) July 15, 2017
8th over: Australia 29-0 (Mooney 16, Bolton 13) Kapp’s latest over begins with one of those appeals that bowlers do when they think they are going to be wided down the legside. The umpire reckons it hit the thigh-pad, but I disagree. That’s fine though. Bolton dots up again, then flicks through square-leg: it’s beautifully timed and she gets four! There’s then a single through midwicket, before Mooney does what she’s spent all morning: drilling straight to the cover fielder.
I am, as ever, utterly neutral but, you know, it’s the Aussies, so...
@willis_macp Glad you're on the OBO Will. I should be neutral but of course, want SA to prevail here. You?
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) July 15, 2017
7th over: Australia 24-0 (Mooney 16, Bolton 8) Good fielding at mid-off means Bolton gets just one with a slightly tame drive. Mooney and Bolton trade singles to third man, and Ismail’s over ends with a couple of slightly ungainly defensive strokes from Mooney. Three from it.
6th over: Australia 21-0 (Mooney 15, Bolton 6) Mooney tries to turn Kapp to leg, but scuffs it, then finds the fielder next ball. Batting doesn’t look easy, but the bowling has been tight. Kapp, who looks very angry, strays on to the pads and is turned to fine leg for one. Bolton drives, and there’s a half-stop from Khaka, whose name I love, but she can’t prevent the single. The over ends with a lovely flick through square-leg for four by Mooney, who is starting to settle. Full and on the pads, had to go.
5th over: Australia 15-0 (Mooney 10, Bolton 5) A boundary, finally! And it’s a lovely one. Ismail overpitches a touch, and Mooney drills her through that gap in the covers. She spends the next couple trying, and failing to hit that gap, then takes a risky single. Ismail digs one in to Bolton and there’s four more! Pulled nicely through square-leg. Easily Australia’s most profitable over, that.
4th over: Australia 6-0 (Mooney 5, Bolton 1) More Kapp. Couple of dots to Mooney, who then takes her fourth single, but is very nearly caught at midwicket in the process. Grips and just falls short. Bolton finally gets off the mark (took 12 balls) with a turn to mid-on, then the over ends with a neat guide from Mooney past backward point for one.
Good news from Leicester! They will start at 11.20.
Covers slowwwwwwly coming off at Leicester. #SoggyWoodenSpoon #WWC17
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) July 15, 2017
Updated
3rd over: Australia 3-0 (Mooney 3, Bolton 0) South Africa’s excellent start continues, but the pattern is broken as Mooney faces four Ismail dots. She’s trying to drive through the gap at extra cover, but keeps finding the fielders squarer! Anyway, she eventually gets herself off strike with the fifth ball, a more chilled out defence into the gap. Another Bolton dot from the last.
2nd over: Australia 2-0 (Mooney 2, Bolton 0) Magnificent Marizanne Kapp to get us going from t’other end, and this over begins in similar fashion to the first, as Mooney turns the first ball to leg for one, then Bolton dots up the rest. Not very eventful, but South Africa are right on the money here.
Should mention that your boy Vish is on OBO duty for the England game. We don’t do things by halves.
1st over: Australia 1-0 (Mooney 1, Bolton 0) Little Shabnim Ismail gets us going, and the leftie Mooney’s immediately off the mark with a dinked turn to leg for one. Bolton, a bespectacled southpaw, defends, leaves, then defends again. The over ends with a couple more dots - driven to cover and defended firmly. Very good first over from Ismail.
Well here they come. Bolton and Mooney opening for Aus, who opted to bat first. Kinda looks a bowling day to me, and Dane van Niekerk said as much at the toss.
Remember! You can contact me!
Cricket is literally moments away.
They are doing the anthems. I don’t hate Advance Australia Fair, I’ll admit that much. Elyse Villani seems to be enjoying it, as do some Australian pensioners (I know they are Australian because of the funny hats they are wearing) in the crowd.
No word of any weather about down in the West Country, which is good news.
Bad news in the playing-for-pride derby.
Rain coming down HARD in Leicester. At this rate both Pakistan AND Sri Lanka will be going home winless. #SoggyWoodenSpoon #WWC17
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) July 15, 2017
The teams! Australia are batting first.
Australia: Bolton, Mooney, Haynes (c), Perry, Villani, Blackwell, Healy (wk), Gardner, Jonassen, Schutt, Beams.
South Africa: Wolvaardt, Lee, Chetty (wk), du Preez, Kapp, van Niekerk (c), Luus, Ismail, Khaka, Klaas, Daniels.
The start is just over 15 mins away.
Over in Derby, New Zealand have won the toss and are bowling against India. Big game, that.
Australia win the toss and bat! Well, Haynes has done the first bit right. Coin falls her way, and she opts to bat. Teams to follow.
This is superb:
Sthalekar: “Does your contract say you only come in to captain?"
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) July 15, 2017
Haynes: “We probably shouldn’t talk about contracts, should we?” #WWC17
So Meg Lanning isn’t playing. Her dicky shoulder has not been risked... Rachael Haynes, who captained Australia against Pakistan in Leicester earlier in the tournament but hasn’t played since, leads the side. Does seem a slightly curious situation, given Alex Blackwell is the vice-captain. Anyway...
Welcome!
Good morning, happy weekend, and welcome to the Guardian’s coverage of Australia against South Africa in the Women’s World Cup. I’m Will Macpherson and I’ll be bringing you all the action, right to the bitter end, from Taunton.
So, the final day of the pool stage. Both these sides are through to the semi-finals in Bristol (on Tuesday) and Derby (Thursday). They have lost just one match each (both to England), but South Africa’s game against New Zealand at Derby was rained off, so they are a point behind England and Australia, who have 10. The table is here, by the way. Check it out. *I think* that if they both win, Australia need to win by about 150 more runs than England to qualify. That’s a lot.
As this, like England’s game against the Windies (which you can follow with Vish Ehantharajah here), is just jostling for position, there’s a case to be made that this isn’t the most interesting of the games on offer today. That would be New Zealand against India up at Derby, which is a shootout for the final spot in the last four. I will do my best to keep you abreast of developments up there too, as well as all of the permutations regarding the semi-final lineups. It’s first against fourth at Bristol and second against third in Derby, which looks like it could be a repeat of this game if England nab a win.
The toss is moments away, and if you’re looking for ways to keep busy while we wait for the game to begin at 10.30, why not try this? It’s Vish’s interview with Nat Sciver, England’s brilliant all-rounder, the tournament’s darling.
There are a couple of ways you can contact me! There’s my inbox, at the utterly cumbersome will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com, or there’s the twitters, where I’m findable at @willis_macp. I look forward to hearing from you...
More from that toss as I get it...
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