Proteas end Australia’s reign with stunning semifinal win
17 October 2024 - 20:39
by Sports staff
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Anneke Bosch sends yet another ball to the boundary in SA's semifinal win over Australia in the the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai on Thursday. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/ISURU SAMEERA
A brilliant unbeaten 74 from Anneke Bosch fired SA into the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai, ending Australia’s reign after three successive titles.
The win takes the SA women into the second straight final and exacted some revenge on the Australians who denied them the trophy on home soil last year.
A fine bowling display from the Proteas restricted the defending champions to 134/5. Beth Mooney was the top scorer with 44.
Ayabonga Khaka and Marizanne Kapp were the star bowlers for SA. Khaka took 2/24, while Kapp finished her four overs with 1/24 as well as running out Mooney.
Thanks to 31 runs from the last three overs, Australia’s total looked competitive, but a 96-run stand between Bosch and Laura Wolvaardt (42) for the second wicket soon had SA in total control.
When Wolvaardt departed, Bosch made sure there was no late wobble, seeing out the eight-wicket victory for the Proteas.
SA now take on Friday’s winner between the West Indies and New Zealand.
SA put Australia in to bat after winning the toss and made immediate inroads as Grace Harris slashed the ball straight to Bosch off Khaka’s first delivery, departing for three in the second over.
Anneke Bosch, right, and Laura Wolvaardt celebrate the win at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, October 17 2024. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/ISURU SAMEERA
Georgia Wareham was then caught behind off Kapp for five, leaving the defending champions in a spot of bother at 18/2 after three overs.
That brought skipper Tahlia McGrath to the crease alongside Mooney. The pair added 50 in just under 10 overs, keeping the strike rate ticking over though they struggled to the find the boundary.
McGrath hit a couple of fours off Nonkululeko Mlaba’s first over, but Australia were still only 35/2 at the end of their power play.
With runs proving hard to come by, Australia passed 50 in the 10th over, before McGrath fell to Mlaba for 27 after mistiming a slower delivery straight to Annerie Dercksen.
The arrival of all-rounder Ellyse Perry failed to result in more boundaries, though she and Mooney ran well between the wickets in a 31-run stand that ended when Mooney was run out by some brilliant work from Kapp off her own bowling.
That brought Phoebe Litchfield to the crease and she showed her intent by driving Kapp through point for four off her first ball to bring up the hundred.
She added two more from Mlaba’s final two deliveries as Australia upped the pace in the final overs.
Perry looked to do the same and was given a life when Tamzin Brits dropped her in the deep in the penultimate over. That error was punished with the next ball by a crunching drive through extra cover for four.
Khaka returned for the final over, with Perry finding the boundary one more time before Brits earned a measure of revenge by holding on at deep midwicket off the final delivery to leave Australia on 134/5 from their 20 overs.
In reply, Australia put the clamps on in the first couple of overs before two Brits boundaries helped spark the chase.
She smashed Ashleigh Gardner for six but was then cleaned up by Annabel Sutherland’s first ball for 15, leaving SA 25/1.
Bosch joined skipper Wolvaardt in the middle and the pair took an attacking approach to the chase, including a stunning six from the captain off Darcie Brown to bring up the half-century in the seventh over.
By halfway, SA were 74/1, needing just 61 runs from 60 deliveries to pull off the win and avenge 2023’s final.
In the 12 over it became clear Australia would not be able to stage a comeback as Bosch smashed Wareham for four through deep midwicket and followed that up with a six the following ball.
Wolvaardt did the same to Gardner off the first ball of the next over as required run rate dwindled. Bosch brought up her half-century off just 31 balls with Australia unable to find even an inkling of an opportunity.
When a wicket did come — Wolvaardt picking out McGrath off Sutherland for 42 and just short of a century partnership — the result was effectively in the bag.
SA needed just 14 runs from five overs and Bosch kept her foot on the gas, scoring 74 off just 48 balls, to see her side home with 16 balls to spare.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Proteas end Australia’s reign with stunning semifinal win
A brilliant unbeaten 74 from Anneke Bosch fired SA into the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai, ending Australia’s reign after three successive titles.
The win takes the SA women into the second straight final and exacted some revenge on the Australians who denied them the trophy on home soil last year.
A fine bowling display from the Proteas restricted the defending champions to 134/5. Beth Mooney was the top scorer with 44.
Ayabonga Khaka and Marizanne Kapp were the star bowlers for SA. Khaka took 2/24, while Kapp finished her four overs with 1/24 as well as running out Mooney.
Thanks to 31 runs from the last three overs, Australia’s total looked competitive, but a 96-run stand between Bosch and Laura Wolvaardt (42) for the second wicket soon had SA in total control.
When Wolvaardt departed, Bosch made sure there was no late wobble, seeing out the eight-wicket victory for the Proteas.
SA now take on Friday’s winner between the West Indies and New Zealand.
SA put Australia in to bat after winning the toss and made immediate inroads as Grace Harris slashed the ball straight to Bosch off Khaka’s first delivery, departing for three in the second over.
Georgia Wareham was then caught behind off Kapp for five, leaving the defending champions in a spot of bother at 18/2 after three overs.
That brought skipper Tahlia McGrath to the crease alongside Mooney. The pair added 50 in just under 10 overs, keeping the strike rate ticking over though they struggled to the find the boundary.
McGrath hit a couple of fours off Nonkululeko Mlaba’s first over, but Australia were still only 35/2 at the end of their power play.
With runs proving hard to come by, Australia passed 50 in the 10th over, before McGrath fell to Mlaba for 27 after mistiming a slower delivery straight to Annerie Dercksen.
The arrival of all-rounder Ellyse Perry failed to result in more boundaries, though she and Mooney ran well between the wickets in a 31-run stand that ended when Mooney was run out by some brilliant work from Kapp off her own bowling.
That brought Phoebe Litchfield to the crease and she showed her intent by driving Kapp through point for four off her first ball to bring up the hundred.
She added two more from Mlaba’s final two deliveries as Australia upped the pace in the final overs.
Perry looked to do the same and was given a life when Tamzin Brits dropped her in the deep in the penultimate over. That error was punished with the next ball by a crunching drive through extra cover for four.
Khaka returned for the final over, with Perry finding the boundary one more time before Brits earned a measure of revenge by holding on at deep midwicket off the final delivery to leave Australia on 134/5 from their 20 overs.
In reply, Australia put the clamps on in the first couple of overs before two Brits boundaries helped spark the chase.
She smashed Ashleigh Gardner for six but was then cleaned up by Annabel Sutherland’s first ball for 15, leaving SA 25/1.
Bosch joined skipper Wolvaardt in the middle and the pair took an attacking approach to the chase, including a stunning six from the captain off Darcie Brown to bring up the half-century in the seventh over.
By halfway, SA were 74/1, needing just 61 runs from 60 deliveries to pull off the win and avenge 2023’s final.
In the 12 over it became clear Australia would not be able to stage a comeback as Bosch smashed Wareham for four through deep midwicket and followed that up with a six the following ball.
Wolvaardt did the same to Gardner off the first ball of the next over as required run rate dwindled. Bosch brought up her half-century off just 31 balls with Australia unable to find even an inkling of an opportunity.
When a wicket did come — Wolvaardt picking out McGrath off Sutherland for 42 and just short of a century partnership — the result was effectively in the bag.
SA needed just 14 runs from five overs and Bosch kept her foot on the gas, scoring 74 off just 48 balls, to see her side home with 16 balls to spare.
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