South Africa kept their semi-final hopes alive with a four-wicket win over Bangladesh at Lord’s.
The Proteas have made back-to-back finals at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, and now need Australia to beat India in the second match of the double header at the Home of Cricket to make it through to the last four.
If Australia get the better of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup winners, it will be South Africa who advance to a semi-final against hosts England.
Against Bangladesh, they put themselves in a strong position thanks to a fine showing with the ball, Nonkululeko Mlaba the pick of the bowlers with two for 22.
Sobhana Mostary scored 42 and Nigar Sultana Joty 32 not out, but Bangladesh were restricted to 117 for five.
And although South Africa lost Laura Wolvaardt first ball, Annerie Dercksen’s 45 made sure an occasionally nervy chase went the way of the Proteas.
TIGHT BOWLING KEEPS CHASE MANAGEABLE FOR SOUTH AFRICA
After electing to bat, Bangladesh made a disastrous start when Marizanne Kapp bowled Juraiya Ferdous off the first ball of the match, the opener with a wild swipe across the line and missing a straight one.
Kapp was miserly as she bowled her first four overs straight, finishing with figures of one for nine as Bangladesh found themselves under pressure early.
They lost Taj Nehar, LBW to Shabnim Ismail, for one to fall to 14 for two after four overs but Sobhana Mostary and Sharmin Akhter got them back on track.
A partnership of 56 was just what was required, with Sobhana particularly effective behind square on the offside, before she attacked Nadine de Klerk with a thumping six over the legside.
Sharmin played her part at the other end, but finally succumbed for 22 when she tried to charge down the wicket to Nonkululeko Mlaba and was outfoxed by the spin and bowled.
That left Bangladesh at 70 for three, and soon they were 77 for four when Sobhana’s fine innings was ended on 42, De Klerk getting some revenge with a short ball that was cut to Mlaba.
With both set batters gone, the Bangladeshi innings could have stalled, but skipper Nigar Sultana Joty had other ideas.
That including a spectacular sweep for six off Ayabonga Khaka although Mlaba punished Shorna Akter when she tried to go for another maximum the next ball, picking out Ismail on the long-on boundary.
From 95 for five in the 19th over, Bangladesh finished strongly, including back-to-back boundaries off the last two balls from Nigar, who ended on an unbeaten 32 from just 20 deliveries to lift her team to 117 for five from their 20 overs.
DERCKSEN KNOCK SETS UP FOUR-WICKET WIN
As with the Bangladeshi innings, South Africa also lost a wicket first ball, an absolute beauty of a delivery from Marufa Akter beating Laura Wolvaardt all ends up. Bowling with real pace, she got one to come in and through the South African skipper’s defences, crashing into the stumps.
The rest of the over was more challenging, three consecutive wides, including one that went to the boundary, allowing South Africa to get their chase underway.
Runs were generally proving hard to come by off the bat, but Annerie Dercksen went after Sanjida Akter Meghla with a huge six over deep midwicket.
Tazmin Brits got in on the act off Rabeya Khan with a sweep for four as she and Dercksen helped the Proteas to 40 for one in the powerplay.
Bangladesh desperately needed a wicket and got it when Brits tried to go big against Nahida Akter, picking out Marufa on the boundary, going for 20.
Sanjida returned at the other end and removed Dane van Niekerk for four, LBW trying to reverse sweep with South Africa 59 for three at the halfway stage in their innings.
Dercksen needed some treatment after a full-length dive from a quick single, but she and Kapp steadied the ship as Bangladesh searched for further breakthroughs.
And a straight six off Sanjida took Dercksen into the forties, with the chase well in-hand.
But she could not see them home, nicking one behind off Nahida to go for 45 to make it 87 for four.
Rabeya Khan returned and conceded just one off her final over to leave South Africa still needing 26 off the last four overs.
The boundaries had started to dry up but a drive through the covers from Nadine de Klerk eased the tension, bringing the required rate back under a run a ball. But next ball, a mix-up saw Kapp (16) run out, reigniting the contest once more.
Another De Klerk four, this time behind square on the legside, was almost followed by another run-out, but Chloe Tryon got home just in time.
De Klerk tried to finish the job in style but did not have the distance on a skied pull, brilliantly caught by Shorna Akter in the deep for 15 with five still required.
Having taken it to the final over, Bangladesh’s hopes were effectively ended when Tryon edged Marufa for four off the first ball.
And she hit the next delivery over the infield to see South Africa home, leaving their fate in the hands of Australia to see if their competition would continue.
Scores in brief
Bangladesh v South Africa – Lord’s Cricket Ground, London
Bangladesh: 117/5 in 20 overs (Sobhana Mostary 42, Nigar Sultana Joty 32 not out; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/22, Marizanne Kapp 1/9)
South Africa: 118/6 in 19.2 overs (Annerie Dercksen 45, Tazmin Brits 20; Nahida Akter 2/24, Marufa Akter 1/23)
Result: South Africa win by four wickets
Fist Wizard
England is the only team in the northern hemisphere to have won the Rugby World Cup – Given the game’s origins in England, statistically southern hemisphere teams are wayyyyyyy better at rugby. In total there have been 9 Rugby World Cups. New Zealand have won 3, South Africa have won 3, Australia have won it twice, and England are the only team in the northern hemisphere to have won it. Maybe the Rugby World Cup 2023 hosted in France will be another win for a European team though!
Murmur
Sport Trivia: Graeme Pollock is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. What was his test batting average when he retired?Answer: 60.97. He made his Test debut at the age of 19, and in just 41 tests he scored 2484 runs at an average of 60.97, with five centuries and 15 fifties. He also captured 47 wickets at an average 39.55 runs per wicket. Sadly, his test career was cut short when, at the age of twenty six, an international sporting ban was imposed on South Africa as a result of Apartheid. He was arguably the greatest left-handed batsman the world has yet seen.