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Generally, being the hosts in any ICC (International Cricket Council) event can either put you on top of the world or dump you out in the early stages, and the latter rang true for the men’s side during the 2003 men’s ODI Cricket World Cup, when Shaun Pollock misread the Duckworth-Lewis score sheet against Sri Lanka, leaving the match in a tie and knocking the hosts out in the group stage.
But the South African women’s side used the crowds at Six Gun Grill Newlands in Cape Town to their advantage, rallying after an early defeat to reach their first ICC T20 World Cup final, only to come up short against Australia by 19 runs.
Favourites
Australia and England are top of the pops when it comes to women’s cricket and the pair showed their value during the group stages, ending top after four unbeaten games each. Meg Lanning’s Australian side had a comfortable Group 1 route to the semi-finals with their closest victory coming against South Africa by six wickets, thanks to a half-century from Tahlia McGrath.
The most successful women’s side in the history of the tournament, having lifted the cup on five previous occasions, opened up their account with a commanding 97-run victory over their neighbours, New Zealand, where wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy, niece to Australian great Ian Healy, cracked 55 from just 38 balls to help post a total of 173 for nine.
The right-arm offbreak bowling of Ashleigh Gardner then ripped the heart out of New Zealand’s batting with figures of 5-12 in three overs. A comfortable eight-wicket win over Bangladesh was followed by another commanding 10-wicket trouncing of Sri Lanka two days later with seamer Megan Schutt claiming 4-24 as Sri Lanka were restricted to 112 for eight.
Healy (54) and Beth Mooney (56) then knocked off the runs with 25 balls still remaining.
England also ran through their group undefeated. A seven-wicket victory over the West Indies was followed up by a four-wicket triumph over neighbours Ireland at the picturesque Boland Park in Paarl in a low-scoring affair.
Left-arm spinner Sophie Eccelstone and legbreak bowler Sarah Glenn both picked up three wickets to skittle the Irish for just 105. Despite three wickets from Irelands legbreak bowler, Cara Murray, a brilliant 51 from 22 balls by Alice Capsey helped get England over the line with 34 balls remaining.
A closely-fought 11-run victory over India was followed by a devastating 114-run win over Pakistan in Cape Town. Opener Danni Wyatt clubbed seven fours and two sixes in a 33-ball 59 while Nat Sciver-Brunt struck 12 fours and a six from just 40 balls for an unbeaten 81 as England posted 213 for five.
In reply, a combined bowling effort saw Pakistan restricted to just 99 for nine in reply with Tuba Hassan, coming in at No. 10, top-scoring with 28 from 20 balls before being run-out.
Down to the wire
The semi-finals produced some scintillating cricket that entertained the Newlands faithful. Australia faced-off against India while hosts South Africa took on England.
Australia edged India by just five runs with Mooney (54) and Lanning (49 not out) in the runs again as the defending champions posted 172 for four. In reply, India required a daunting 16 runs off the final over, with Gardner given the responsibility of defending them. The ‘leggy’ conceded just five runs off the first three balls before having Radha Yadav caught at long, leaving India needing back-to-back sixes to win the match.
A wonderful opening-stand of 96 between Laura Wolvaardt (53) and Tazmin Brits (68) laid the foundation before a quick-fire unbeaten 27 from 13 balls by Marizanne Kapp helped South Africa post 164 for four against the English.
Shabnim Ismail (3-27) and Ayabonga Khaka (4-29) then grabbed seven wickets between them to put the favourites under some real pressure. Ismail was given the responsibility of bowling the final over, with England needing 13 runs.
The pressure was placed firmly on Heather Knight as Ismail conceded just a single from the first two balls. Ismail then speared a ball towards middle-and-leg with Knight looking to heave the ball over midwicket, only for the ball to ricochet off her back leg and onto the stumps.
England though, were still in it, needing 12 runs from the final three balls but Ismail held her nerve, conceding just a single and a brace of two’s to send South Africa into their first World Cup final – something the men have not been able to achieve yet.
A Bridge Too Far
Almost 13000 fans invaded Newlands to witness South Africa’s first T20 World Cup final appearance. The tension was thick under the blue, late summer Cape Town sky. South African captain Sune Luus tossed the coin, it spun, Australia’s captain Lanning called ‘heads’ – it landed in Lanning’s favour – “we’ll have a bat thanks” said the multi-winning captain.
Luus’ bowlers kept plugging away, with Ismail again amongst the wickets again, claiming 2-26 in her four overs while Kapp herself bagged 2-35. But a wonderful 74 from 53 balls by opener Mooney helped Australia post 156 for six from their 20 overs.
The chase was on. A slow start by Wolvaardt and Brits (10) added just 17 for the first wicket from the opening five overs. Kapp (11) and Brits (2) fell quickly, leaving South African on 54 for three halfway through the innings and with a mountain!
But, Wolvaardt and Chloe Tryon (25) resurrected the chase with a 55-run stand for the fourth wicket. Then the turning point in the match! The 30-year old Schutt speared a ball in towards middle-and-leg with Wolvaardt going down on one knee and looking to heave the ball away on the legside, only to be struck on the back leg.
Australia went up in unison and the umpire raised the dreaded finger – OUT! Wolvaardt reviewed, knowing the importance of her wicket, but DRS handed out three red pings and Wolvaardt had to go for a well-played 61 from 48 balls, which included five boundaries and three maximums.
South Africa needed 44 from 21 balls but two wickets in the 18th over, including Tryon, left the SA Ladies with a bridge too far! With 27 runs required off the final over, Sinalo Jafta and Nadine de Klerk were only able to muster seven runs from the six deliveries, and with that, Australia had clinched their sixth T20 World Cup title.
