07/02/26 04:17:00
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07/02 16:14 CDT Captain Sciver-Brunt's stirring 75 leads England into Women's
T20 World Cup final
Captain Sciver-Brunt's stirring 75 leads England into Women's T20 World Cup
final
By FOSTER NIUMATA
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) --- Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's awe-inspiring knock of 75 after an
injury led England past South Africa and into the final of the Women's Twenty20
World Cup on Thursday.
Sciver-Brunt and former skipper Heather Knight rescued England from 23-3 with a
133-run partnership --- the highest ever in a World Cup knockout match --- to
set South Africa a forbidding 170 target in The Oval semifinal.
South Africa, which chose to chase, had the life squeezed out of it and saw the
writing on the wall as early as the 11th over after the great Marizanne Kapp
was just the third out. By then the run rate required was already at 11 per
over.
No. 2-ranked England won by 40 runs and will face No. 1 Australia in the final
at sold-out Lord's on Sunday.
England put up 169-5 and South Africa was shrunk to 129-8.
Sciver-Brunt retired hurt against Ireland on June 16 due to tightness in the
calf she tore in April. While missing England's last three group games, the
captain threw everything into getting fit for the semifinals, including
uncommon treatment using electromagnetic energy.
She replaced Sophie Dunkley, England's second highest run-scorer, and was
called on just seven balls into the match as bowlers Shabnim Ismail and Kapp
gave South Africa a dream start of three wickets inside four overs.
Ismail became the first woman to reach 50 career wickets in T20 World Cups and
Kapp bowled Danni Wyatt-Hodge, the highest ever run-scorer in a single World
Cup.
But as Kapp and Ismail bowled out, Sciver-Brunt and Knight feasted on the other
bowlers.
South Africa lost both of its reviews trying to get rid of Sciver-Brunt on 2
and 14. She reached her eighth fifty in a T20 World Cup, tying the record with
New Zealand's Suzie Bates and Australia's Beth Mooney. Knight followed.
Nonkululeko Mlaba removed both batters in the 19th over; Sciver-Brunt for 75
runs from 47 balls including 50 from boundaries and Knight for 58 from 47.
The partnership of 133 from 90 surpassed the previous best in a World Cup
knockout match of 122 not out between Beth Morgan and Claire Taylor for England
against Australia at The Oval in the 2009 semifinals.
That stand helped to set the benchmark for the previous highest successful
chase at 164.
South Africa had to make 170. Its chances plunged as captain Laura Wolvaardt,
Annerie Dercksen and Kapp were removed cheaply. Opener Tazmin Brits endured
until the 15th over but for a too-slow 45-ball 51.
England's attack was impressive with five bowlers taking wickets. Freya Kemp
led with 1-11 and Sophie Ecclestone took 1-21.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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