Laura Wolvaardt produced one of the great ODI innings and Marizanne Kapp made ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup history as South Africa beat England to reach the 2025 final.
Wolvaardt struck 24 boundaries in a brilliant 169 at the top of the order as the Proteas, beaten by England in the semi-finals of the last two ODI World Cups, finished their innings on 319 for seven.
Kapp then took centre stage with the ball, with two wickets in the first over of the run-chase instantly putting England on the back foot.
She finished with career-best figures of five for 20 to become the highest wicket-taker in ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup history, overtaking Jhulan Goswami’s 43, as South Africa bowled England out for 194 to win by 125 runs.
Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (64) and Alice Capsey (50) both made half-centuries but England were comfortably beaten.
Proteas’ perfect start
England put South Africa in to bat after winning the toss, but the Proteas made an excellent start as Wolvaardt began with successive boundaries thanks to a crisp drive through cover and an edge along the ground.
It set the tone for a strong first hour for the Proteas. England’s Linsey Smith started the day with more powerplay wickets than any other bowler in the competition, but she was unable to add to her seven, as Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits played fluently.
A boundary apiece in the 10th over brought up their second 50 partnership of the tournament, while Wolvaardt took six further overs to complete her fourth half-century of the World Cup – reaching 50 in just 52 balls as she laid the foundations at the top of the order.
Brits was the more watchful batter but, after South Africa reached 100 without loss in the 19th over, she started to cut loose with a thumping six off Ecclestone, one of the shots of the day.
Fortunately for England, they found the breakthrough soon after as Brits mis-timed a reverse sweep off Sophie Ecclestone and the ball clattered into the stumps, forcing her to depart for 45.
That prompted a change in momentum as Ecclestone quickly grabbed a second wicket by bowling Anneke Bosch for a duck, and Sciver-Brunt removed Sune Luus, who dragged the ball onto her off-stump, as England pulled it back to 119 for three.
Kapp then stemmed the flow of wickets by hitting five boundaries – including one six – in a 33-ball 42.
But when Ecclestone had her caught by Charlie Dean, England enjoyed another burst of wickets as Sinalo Jafta (1) and Annerie Dercksen (4) fell cheaply to leave South Africa on 202 for six in the 41st over.
Ecclestone was a doubt to play due to a shoulder injury but she impressed, even if the wicket of Wolvaardt eluded her.
By the time Ecclestone clean bowled Dercksen, Wolvaardt had already reached her century in 115 balls – her first at an ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The captain then hit the accelerator, with a huge six over wide long-on off Dean in the 42nd over signalling a clear shift in approach.
In her following 24 balls, Wolvaardt hit three sixes and seven fours to lead the Proteas to 117 runs in the final 10 overs. She eventually fell to Bell but her 169 will go down as one of the all-time great innings, while Chloe Tryon’s late 33 not out helped the Proteas reach 319 for seven.
Kapp to the fore
While 320 was an intimidating target, the pitch appeared a good one for batting and England boast one of the strongest top-orders in the world.
Kapp, however, had no intention of letting England build momentum. With the second ball of the innings, she bowled Amy Jones with a superb delivery that nipped back between bat and pad and then forced Heather Knight to drag a wider ball back onto the stumps.
At the other end, Ayabonga Khaka had Tammy Beaumont caught behind for a golden duck after she feathered the ball through to Jafta, to leave England in trouble on one for three.
Sciver-Brunt and Capsey steadied the ship and put on 105 for the fourth wicket to bring England back into contention.
But when Capsey was caught by Nadine de Klerk at mid-off while trying to hoist Luus to the boundary in the 23rd over, wickets again started to fall.
Kapp returned to the attack and produced a brilliant delivery to turn Sciver-Brunt inside out and find the outside edge, before she grabbed two wickets in the 31st over by again inducing edges from Sophia Dunkley (2) and Dean (0) for her history-making 44th ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup wicket.
That left England 144 for seven and while Danni Wyatt-Hodge (34) showed some late resistance with five boundaries, they were eventually dismissed for 194.
Scores in brief
England v South Africa, Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
South Africa 319/7 in 50 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 169, Tazmin Brits 45; Sophie Ecclestone 4/44, Lauren Bell 2/55)
England 194 all out in 42.3 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 64, Alice Capsey 50; Marizanne Kapp 5/20, Nadine de Klerk 2/24)
Result: South Africa won by 125 runs
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India won the 1983 World Cup and won their first ever Test at Lord’s three years later in 1986. India won their second World Cup 28 years later in 2011 and remarkably won their second ever Test at Lord’s three years later in 2014.