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43rd over: South Africa 223-6 (Wolvaardt 115, Tryon 6) South Africa survive Ecclestone’s last over by not doing anything stupid. NSB accedes to Ecclestone’s half-hearted request for an lbw review against Tryon. To no-one’s surprise, it isn’t out, and Ecclestone finishes with a fabulous 4-44.
42nd over: South Africa 218-6 (Wolvaardt 113, Tryon 3) Ten from Dean’s over – a scattering of singles and six flayed over long on by Wolvaardt.
41st over: South Africa 208-6 (Wolvaardt 105, Tryon 1) After the wicket, a wide, a single and a swept four as Wolvaardt continues to carry the innings. Will South Africa be able to survive Ecclestone’s last over.
“England and the English need a sporting anthem for ourselves – GSTK is a British or UK anthem. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own anthems. Why don’t we?” Good question Nick Terdre,, though to be fair to the ECB, they have adopted Jerusalem (though England draw from the whole UK) and Jerusalem has been England’s anthem at the Commonweath games for the last 15 years.
”And personally I take no pleasure in a song directed at one man or woman- what about the rest of us?
(PS I’ve a feeling this may be South Africa’s day.)“
ShareWICKET! Dercksen b Ecclestone 4 (South Africa 202-6)
A collapsed lung of a reverse-sweep as Dercksen directs the ball into her own stumps.
ShareA hundred for Laura Wolvaardt
40th over: South Africa 202-5 (Wolvaardt 101, Dercksen 4) Brilliant from Wolvaardt – her first World Cup hundred – gets there with a sprinted second. her teammates rise as one in the dugout, She takes off her helmet and gets a huge hug from Dercksen.
“Tanya,” hello Andy Pechey. “At what point does a dropped catch become a great stop?” It’s all in the eye – and generosity – of the observer.
39th over: South Africa 195-5 (Wolvaardt 97, Dercksen 1) South Africa survive Ecclestone’s eighth over – just two singles from it.
“I think most stadiums in India have a capacity of more than 30000, to accommodate the Men’s game which has a lot of spectators,” writes Arul Kanhere. “Grounds with less seats might not have enough amenities to host a World Cup game. Small mercy its not in Ahmedabad.” Thanks Arul – have you been surprised that the stadiums are not more full for neutral games?
38th over: South Africa 193-5 (Wolvaardt 96, Dercksen 0) Reward for Bell and a beef-up after that dropped catch. Just one run from it, a wide. She also clonks Dercksen on the helmet, but she’s all smiles as the the physio asks her what day of the week it is.
ShareWICKET! Jafta b Bell 1 (South Africa 192-5)
Jafta retreats mouseishly, and the ball waves passed the outside edge to clonk middle and off stumps.
37th over: South Africa 192-4 (Wolvaardt 96, Jafta 1) Kapp had just flayed a loose ball from Ecclestone through the covers for four. Crazy shot – if she and Wolvaardt could have just stayed together….
ShareWICKET! Kapp c Dean b Eccletone (South Africa 191-4)
Kapp goes for the sweep but top edges, Dean holds on with open mouth, hands high and backwards above her head. Ecclestone again with the breakthrough. Kapp curses her way off the pitch.
36th over: South Africa 187-3 (Wolvaardt 96, Kapp 38) A chance – dropped! Really hard – chipped by Kapp, on 36, and a flying Bell gets a left hand to it but can’t hold on as she falls awkwardly to the ground. Beaumont goes to her straight away to keep spirits up, but actually I think she jarred her body as she fell. The physio provides water and, I think , paracetemol. Dean continues. Five singles from it.
Updated at 07.49 EDT
35th over: South Africa 182-3 (Wolvaardt 94, Kapp 35) South Africa fancy Capsey. Five singles and a four, swivel-pulled by Wolvaardt as she eases into the nervous nineties.
“This is the partnership, isn’t it Tanya.” It sure is Guy Hornsby. “Wolvaardt has looked in superb nick this tournament (and I’ve a soft spot for her as a former Manchester Original, watching her smoke 4s with my daughter at Old Trafford at her first ever game two years ago). Kapp is arguably their best player, so you feel if this is together at the 40th over England will be back in a pickle. I’m saying this as I’m at work and checking in online, but as we’ve all done over the years, it’s almost more nervy doing that when you’re the equivalent of waiting for Ceefax page 341 to update. Niche reference for all our long-suffering England fans of a certain age.”
Funnily enough my best memory of Ceefax watching is during the India-Australia series of 2001.
34th over: South Africa 173-3 (Wolvaardt 88, Kapp 32) Kapp, eyes in concentrated slits, drops to one knee and shovels six over long on. Dean pulls it back but still leaks a single from every other ball. Eleven from the over, the partnership 52 from 54 deliveries and they take DRINKS.
33rd over: South Africa 162-3 (Wolvaardt 86, Kapp 23) Capsey gets her first over of the innings. South Africa are watchful, but tick a single from every ball.
Laura Wolvaardt plays a reverse sweep. Photograph: Anupam Nath/APShare
Updated at 07.44 EDT
32nd over: South Africa 156-3 (Wolvaardt 83, Kapp 20) A moment of excitement as Kapp sweeps and gloves the ball over Jones’s head. Otherwise just two steady singles off Dean.
31st over: South Africa 153-3 (Wolvaardt 81, Kapp 19) Four singles from Smith’s over. The ground certainly isn’t heaving with spectators, though with a capacity of 46,000 it is hard to gauge exactly how many are in. You do wonder why the BCCI chose such huge stadiums if they weren’t going to be able to sell the tickets to get anywhere near filling them. But everything was very last minute.
30th over: South Africa 149-3 (Wolvaardt 79, Kapp 17) And now time for Charlie Dean. Wolvaardt eyes up a full toss, shimmies and flays her through those welcoming covers. The next floats legside, Wolvaardt helps it on its way and only a tumbling Beaumont prevents another four.
29th over: South Africa 141-3 (Wolvaardt 72, Kapp 16) Smith on the money once more, just a single from it.
Updated at 07.22 EDT
28th over: South Africa 140-3 (Wolvaardt 71, Kapp 16) Not NSB’s best over. Another wide, and two fours for Kapp – an edged four and a stonking cover drive.
At the current run rate, South Africa’s projected score is 250.
Updated at 07.22 EDT
27th over: South Africa 125-3 (Wolvaardt 70, Kapp 6) More mixing up of the bowlers. NSB reaches for Smith – three singles from it.
Hello Andy Roberts:“In far North Qld reading along to see who Australia will be playing in the final. But saw in the OBO you rated the Australian national anthem and I was shocked. I’m Australian and I can happily admit it is a shocker. If you want a good national anthem, try the Kiwi (NZ) one, it’s brilliant with both the English and Maori verses. It’s a pity their sports teams aren’t more successful so we can hear it more often!”
I do like the Kiwi one, but there is just something about the Australian one which makes me think of sunshine and beaches and … perhaps it is just heading into the British winter.
26th over: South Africa 125-3 (Wolvaardt 68, Kapp 5) South Africa have slipped from a cruise-control 116-0 to lose three for three. These two batters hold the game in their hands. Kapp, experience seeping out of every pore, coolly drives her first ball, a fat half volley, through the covers for four.
ShareWICKET! Luus b Sciver-Bunt 1 (South Africa 119-3)
More bails flying. This time Luus pulls with soldier feet and chops on to the stumps. Wolvaardt can only stand and watch.
Nat Sciver-Brunt celebrates with Heather Knight and Amy Jones after taking the wicket of South Africa’s Sune Luus. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/ReutersShare
Updated at 07.15 EDT
25th over: South Africa 119-2 (Wolvaardt 67, Luus 1) Ecclestone follows up her two-wicket fifth over with a maiden sixth. At the half way stage, things are up in the air though South Africa will need to get a hurry on.
24th over: South Africa 119-2 (Wolvaardt 67, Luus 1) Bell again, much neater in her second spell.
Good morning John Starbuck. “As I learned the other day from a repeat of Qi, God Save The King’s tune was originally the anthem of Liechtenstein. A little undignified of the British, I suspect.”
I would love to see a competition for a new one but it would inevitably turn into some culture war nightmare. At least GSTK is a short dirge. With good drums.
23rd over: South Africa 116-2 (Wolvaardt 64, Luus 0) The Anneka Bosch experiment, brought in for the semi-final, is a fail. Two wickets for Ecclestone, shoulders now liquid, and England are suddenly on top.
ShareWICKET! Bosch b Ecclestone 0 (South Africa 116-2)
Bosch goes on the attack, suddenly, flamboyantly, but misses and loses her off stump. The arm ball deceives.
ShareWICKET! Brits b Ecclestone 45 (South Africa 116-1)
Oh dear. Brits inevitably falls to an every-draw-open-on-a-chest-of-drawers reverse-sweep. Ecclestone slots one under the bat and into the stumps.
Tazmin Brits loses her wicket. Photograph: Anupam Nath/APShare
Updated at 07.05 EDT
22nd over: South Africa 115-0 (Wolvaardt 64, Brits 45) Bell’s over starts economically with three dots, but the fourth lands invitingly in the slot and Brits makes room and savages it back over Bell’s head.
21st over: South Africa 111-0 (Wolvaardt 64, Brits 41) Brits tries another stroke down on her knees, a sweep – time to give this one up – and is clonked on the forearm. Gets some treatment and dances down the wicket to Ecclestone’s next ball and frying pans her down the ground for six.
20th over: South Africa 103-0 (Wolvaardt 63, Brits 34) Bell returns. On point. Just a single and a bouncer wide.
19th over: South Africa 101-0 (Wolvaardt 62, Brits 34) Brits sweeps, conventionally this time, and picks up four. Ecclestone puts her hands to her head – a last ball boundary.
“I think,” writes Arul Kanhere, “the Indian Anthem deserves a mention.” Just reminded myself of it – very perky. Also a shout out for Germany.
18th over: South Africa 93-0 (Wolvaardt 59, Brits 29) Wolvaardt is getting into her work. Dean’s first ball is fired back the way it came, her second, wider, is inevitably glided through cover for four more. This is her fourth fifty of the tournament. They take DRINKS with South Africa on top.
ShareFifty for Laura Wolvaardt
17th over: South Africa 84-0 (Wolvaardt 50, Brits 29) Prematch, NSB did admit it was a risk picking Ecclestone – will it pay off? Her shoulders looks more liquid here, but we’re not getting a close up of her face so I can’t report on any grimaces. Three singles and another Brits reverse-hack fails to bring any reward.
16th over: South Africa 82-0 (Wolvaardt 49, Brits 28) Just two from Dean’s over.
15th over: South Africa 80-0 (Wolvaardt 48, Brits 27) NSB summons her big gun. Ecclestone, shoulder good enough to play. Tall, imposing, ball release high, but she’s slow and doesn’t look entirely happy. Wolvaardt sweeps four to bring up 5000 runs in ODIs. And is nearly stumped from the last ball, immaculate gloves from Jones but her foot is in the crease.
Updated at 06.24 EDT
13th over: South Africa 74-0 (Wolvaardt 43, Brits 26) Wolvaardt and Brits ease past South Africa’s total in their first game against England. A pocketful of singles and a thudding Britts boundary that flies over mid off,
13th over: South Africa 67-0 (Wolvaardt 41, Brits 21) A decent bouncer restricts Brits, but they still milk five singles off NSB’s over.
12th over: South Africa 62-0 (Wolvaardt 36, Brits 20) Time for Charlie Dean, and very neat she is too, troubles Brits who attempts another of those ungainly reverse-sweeps, without success.
11th over: South Africa 61-0 (Wolvaardt 36, Brits 20) Just three singles off NSB.
10th over: South Africa 58-0 (Wolvaardt 34, Brits 19) Another inviting delivery drifts wide of Wolvaardt’s off stump, and another cover drive shimmies for four. Then Brits twinkles down the ground and slams Smith back over her head for four “I’d much rather see her do that – play to her strengths – than those attempted reverse-sweeps” says Hussain.
For the first time in this World Cup, England are wicketless in the power play.
9th over: South Africa 49-0 (Wolvaardt 29, Brits 15) Another wide for NSB, England don’t want to be giving away too many of them. And another wide ball which Wolvaardt once more stamps and slots to the rope.
8th over: South Africa 43-0 (Wolvaardt 24, Brits 15) Better from Smith – Brits tries to milk her for two reverse-sweeps but both look as if she’s trying on an ill-fitting costume. She misses everything with her first, picks up a couple with her second.
Hello Andrew Petchley! “Agreed GSTK is terrible, and that SA one was decent, but who else makes up your top 3 (alongside Italy, obviously)?” I know my ignorance will be exposed here but – in no particular order – Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, La Marseillaise and Advance Australia Fair.
Updated at 06.02 EDT
7th over: South Africa 41-0 (Wolvaardt 24, Brits 13) NSB brings herself on to replace Bell. Doesn’t leak any boundaries – thanks to a scampering Tammy Beaumont on the rope.
6th over: South Africa 35-0 (Wolvaardt 22, Brits 10) Wolvaardt, who is looking in glorious touch, pings two successive balls from Smith to the rope. A full toss through long off, a pie through the covers. Wolvaardt is not the person to deliver such treats.
5th over: South Africa 27-0 (Wolvaardt 14, Brits 10) A second’s hesitation nearly sends nearly sends Brits home but NSB’s throw isn’t a direct hit. Bell sends down another delivery wide of off stump and Brits slam-bams it through the covers for four. But Bell bounces back with her final ball, a a fruity delivery with extra bounce that flies over Brits’ attempted force.
4th over: South Africa 21-0 (Wolvaardt 13, Brits 6) Neat and tidy from Smith. That Bell semi-drop not withstanding, the BBC report that – stats wise – England are the best fielding team in the competition.
3rd over: South Africa 19-0 (Wolvaardt 12, Brits 5) A half-chance not held. Brits flays Bell back back with fire, through the left hand of her follow through and down to the rope.
Lauren Bell on the attack. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/ReutersShare
Updated at 05.51 EDT
2nd over: South Africa 14-0 (Wolvaardt 12, Brits 1) Thick and filthy cloud hangs over Guwahati, and the lights are on. Smith doesn’t seem to be struggling as she did in her first spell against New Zealand, but she does send down one fat come-and-get-me delivery, which Wolvaardt accepts and dispatches through the covers for four.
1st over: South Africa 9-0 (Wolvaardt 8, Brits 0) Bell with the new ball. The first lands on a hittable cushion and Wolvaardt, high front elbow, kisses it through the covers for four. The next is wider, similarly inviting, and Wolvaardt throws the bat, the ball flying through where a third slip might have chewed her nails. Four more. Bell tightens her line – and there’s just one more run, from a wide.
ShareAnthems
In the battle of the anthems, a crushing win for South Africa. A jaunty South African one – which must be in the top three world anthems – players with one arm on shoulders, one hand on chest. England line up arm in arm for a rapid rumble of God Save the King.
South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt and England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt head out with the mascots. Photograph: Anupam Nath/APShare
Updated at 05.49 EDT
The pitch isn’t the same as the one where England skittled South Africa at Guwahati. “Mumbai soil” NSB was told by the the groundsman – and Nasser has had a look. “There was black soil in the first week, it was slow and low. This is a red soil pitch, there will be a bit more bounce, more in it for the seamers.
And Nasser on Nat”:“She’s a quietly spoken person, a quiet demeanor about her, she’s authentic. You want someone to be who they are, she is as a captain what she is as a human being. I thought I learnt more about her in the India game by the way she kept her team in that game, the way she chose the 49th and 50th overs, the fielding. [If things get tense today] she can be quiet, she has to have a presence about her.”
NAtalie Germanos has said that the key battle for South Africa is how they bat against the spin – to not be too hesitant. Nasser says that everyone this tournament has played for spin for Smith when there is none.
ShareSouth Africa XI
South Africa XI: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
ShareEngland XI
England XI: Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
ShareEngland win the toss and will bowl! Ecclestone fit.
Nat Sciver Brunt bats: “I think putting the pressure on them with the bat, and under lights it will be easier to chase. Hold your nerve, trust the process, acknowledge the occasion and have a great time.”
And they are unchanged – Ecclestone is fit! If playing through a bit of pain.
Laura Wolvaardt would have bowled too: “But runs on the board aren’t a bad thing. We’re playing an extra batter, it felt like something we’ve needed in the last few games.” Anneke Bosch replaces Klaas.
SharePreamble
Roll up your sleeves, this is where it gets messy. We’re back in Guwahati, where England sliced through South Africa in the first match of the tournament – all parcelled up and ready to post for 69.
But this time, it’s different. The teams have had nearly a month to adjust to conditions and this is the knock-out – the prize of a final against either India or Australia within touching distance.
History – for what it’s worth. England have beaten South Africa both times they’ve met previously in a semi-final. South Africa have never played in a 50-over World Cup final. England have played in nine, winning four.
Neither side has been at their best this tournament, both have had flashes of brilliance, both have batting line-ups that can topple like dominoes if the big dogs don’t bark. England are obvious favourites, but the cricket gods may know better.
Play starts at 9.30am GMT. Join us, it should be fun.
Updated at 05.01 EDT