S Africa (W) vs England (W), 1st Semi-Final at Bristol, Jul 18 2017, ICC Women's World Cup

RESULT
1st Semi-Final, Bristol, July 18, 2017, ICC Women's World Cup
(49.4/50 ov, T:219) 221/8

England (W) won by 2 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
54 (76)
sarah-taylor
Match centre 
Scores: Chandan Duorah | Comms: Karthik Krishnaswamy
Scorecard summary
South Africa Women 218/6(50 overs)
England Women 221/8(49.4 overs)
54 (76)
2/28 (10)
30 (38)
2/24 (5)

5.30pm A great, great match, one of cricket's great semi-finals. England have confirmed their presence at Lord's on Sunday. Who will join them there, Australia or India? Join us tomorrow to find out. Let's hope it's a cracker just like this one. Until then, it's bye from me and Shashank.

Dane van Niekerk: "We thought we were 30 short, but knowing my team, we went out there believing, and I'm really proud of them. You always have to believe that you can win a game of cricket, and [after Knight's dismissal] I said to them that it was very close - I saw the score on the board - and with our bowling attack, anything can happen. We hope we made everyone proud. We needed some Madiba magic [it's Nelson Mandela Day], but we didn't get it today, but we've had a great campaign."

Heather Knight: "It was tight watching from the balcony, but I'm delighted. We had to find a way, and Jenny was brilliant at the end. The close games are the best to win but the worst to lose - credit to South Africa. What a game of cricket. The biggest prize is going to be the final at Lord's, and I guess [all the unprecedented attention and the DRS and all] has added a bit of pressure. [Asked what the dressing room felt like towards the end] I'm not the best watcher at the best of times. I was pretty nervous, but I trusted the girls who were out there."

Sarah Taylor, the player of the match: "It wasn't the most enjoyable experience [to watch the closing stages from the dressing room], but we were out there and we knew we could still get through. What a great shot from Anya at the end, and great work from Jenny and Fran. They [South Africa] played so well, and to lose from that situation is heartbreaking. We've known that feeling before. The support we've had has been fantastic, and we just want to say thank you as a team. To get through to the final is amazing, and we couldn't be prouder of each other."

Ayushman: "2015 Men's World Cup semi-final, 2017 Women's World Cup semi-final. Both last over losses. South Africa - a tale of so near yet so far. Gotta feel for them."

Exes: "S.Africa paid for extras - 24 runs, compare to England's 4"

James: "We've been spoilt on the cricket finishes front today. First the SL v Zim test, and now this. Cracking stuff."

Shilpa: "A match worthy of WC semi final.."

This comment came in a while earlier, before that last ball, so I'm not sure what moment he's reacting to, but it kind of sums up the game we've just watched -- Joe: "WHAT?!!! Noooooo."

5.14pm The South Africa players look distraught, some of their players sitting slumped on the field. How it must feel to have scrapped all the way, every inch, and lost by this margin? For neutrals such as ourselves, this has been a sensational game of cricket. England were coasting, with Taylor and Knight looking impregnable, before a run-out - what else - changed everything. Sune Luus grabbed two in one over, and nerves set into the chase, before Jenny Gunn joined Fran Wilson to pull them over the line, with some last-gasp help from Anya Shrubsole.

49.4
4
Ismail to Shrubsole, FOUR runs

down the track, and Shrubsole wins it with a sensational boundary! No matter how much you pack the infield, you're always going to leave a gap or two. Gives her a bit of width, a back-of-a-length ball, and she chops it away at the top of the bounce and puts it away through point. To the left of cover point. England are through to the World Cup final.

Anya Shrubsole. England need two off three balls. The field is in. What do you do? Do you look to push and run, or go over the infield? What will Ismail bowl?

49.3
W
Ismail to Marsh, OUT

and she's gone! Shabnim Ismail, you legend! The good old off-stump length ball. Marsh was very uncertain, looked to go across the line - not the across-the-line slog, but the across-the-line flick - and she misses

Laura Marsh b Ismail 1 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

Everyone's saving the single, as far as I can see.,

49.2
1
Ismail to Gunn, 1 run

full slower ball wide of off, stabbed into the covers and short extra dives left to stop it

49.1
Ismail to Gunn, no run

oh my, is that a dropped catch? Full outside off, driven back hard, at waist height, and she gets both hands to it but can't hold on

Three off six. Shabnim Ismail to bowl the last over. She has a long, detailed chat with her captain.

Jarrod Kimber is losing some of the sang froid he's known for. "WHERE IS ALL THE LEGSPIN, KK??????????" he asks. "Why no legspin? What, Dane, done with the legspin? Four full tosses and this is over with. Chetty has been keeping like her hands were shadows, and then a catch like that in this pressure."

end of over 493 runs
ENG-W: 216/7CRR: 4.40 RRR: 3.00
Jenny Gunn26 (25b 3x4)
Laura Marsh1 (2b)
Moseline Daniels 10-0-47-1
Marizanne Kapp 10-1-43-1
48.6
1
Daniels to Gunn, 1 run

yorker outside off, stabs at it and sends an outside edge rolling down to the left of third man

48.5
Daniels to Gunn, no run

down the track and she slants it full and wide, slapped to cover

48.4
1
Daniels to Marsh, 1 run

full, slanting away from off stump. Drives without too much footwork, and a thick outside edge rolls down to third man.

48.3
Daniels to Marsh, no run

full-toss outside off, sliced to backward point with an open face

Laura Marsh is in at No. 9. Five off ten balls sounds straightforward, but you try walking in at No. 9 in that situation. Go on, try.

48.2
1
Daniels to Gunn, 1 run

low full-toss outside off, flat-batted towards mid-off

48.1
Daniels to Gunn, no run

wide yorker, stabbed to backward point

end of over 484 runs • 1 wicket
ENG-W: 213/7CRR: 4.43 RRR: 3.00
Jenny Gunn24 (21b 3x4)
Marizanne Kapp 10-1-43-1
Shabnim Ismail 9-1-44-0
47.6
W
Kapp to Wilson, OUT

gone! She's reverse-scooped that to the keeper! Chetty has had a horrible day, but now she's taken an excellent catch. Almost a yorker outside off, maybe too full for Wilson to get the elevation she wants, and Chetty leaps up, right arm outstretched, and the ball sticks in her glove

Fran Wilson c †Chetty b Kapp 30 (38b 3x4 0x6) SR: 78.94
47.5
1
Kapp to Gunn, 1 run

full slower ball outside off, drags a bottom-hand swipe to the left of midwicket off the inside half of the bat

47.4
Kapp to Gunn, no run

full, angling into off stump. Looks for a whip into the leg side and inside-edges into her back pad

47.3
1
Kapp to Wilson, 1 run

shot. That's a square-cut off a full ball. Gets a hint of width and chops it into the backward point region

47.2
1
Kapp to Gunn, 1 run

low full-toss outside off, clipped to long-on

47.1
1
Kapp to Wilson, 1 run

back of a length, close to off stump, chops it down to the left of short third man

Gunn has walked in and played a game-changing cameo. So calm she's looked. So sure of where she wants to hit each ball.

end of over 4710 runs
ENG-W: 209/6CRR: 4.44 RRR: 3.33
Jenny Gunn22 (18b 3x4)
Fran Wilson28 (35b 3x4)
Shabnim Ismail 9-1-44-0
Moseline Daniels 9-0-44-1
46.6
Ismail to Gunn, no run

yorker outside off, dug out into the off side

46.5
4
Ismail to Gunn, FOUR runs

slower ball again, ends up as a wide full-toss, and Gunn says thank you very much. Beats deep square leg easily, to her left, with another bottom-hand drag flick

46.4
Ismail to Gunn, no run

slower length ball outside off, Gunn looks to swipe into the leg side and misses

46.3
4
Ismail to Gunn, FOUR runs

length ball outside off, and that is a proper bottom-handed swat. A hockey shot. But she knows where the fielders are. Mid-on is up, and she hits it over the non-striker, to that fielder's left

Match details
County Ground, Bristol
TossSouth Africa Women, elected to bat first
Series
Season2017
Player Of The Match
Series resultEngland Women advanced
Match numberWODI no. 1083
Hours of play (local time)10.30 start, First Session 10.30-13.40, Interval 13.40-14.10, Second Session 14.10-17.20
Match days18 July 2017 - day (50-over match)
Umpires
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Match Referee
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England (W) Innings
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ICC Women's World Cup
TEAMMWLPTNRR
ENG-W761121.295
AUS-W761121.004
IND-W752100.669
SA-W74291.183
NZ-W73370.309
WI-W7254-1.522
SL-W7162-1.099
PAK-W7070-1.930