England vs South Africa: LIVE Women’s T20 World Cup result and reaction after Heather Knight’s side secure victory
England beat South Africa in their second Women’s T20 World Cup group game in Sharjah
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
England took another step towards the semi-finals at the Women’s T20 World Cup with a strong win over South Africa.
After an opening win over Bangladesh on a slow surface, England’s spin quartet again made good use of a turning pitch in Sharjah as they strangled the South Africa batters. Sophie Ecclestone led the way with figures of 2/15 with Linsey Smith, Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn once more impressing in support roles, limiting South Africa to 124/6 despite late hitting from Marizanne Kapp and Annerie Dercksen.
It never looked likely to be enough, despite a sluggish outfield, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (43) ensured a solid platform was laid, eschewing her more expansive strokeplay to manage the chase well. The star turn with the bat came, though, fron Nat Sciver-Brunt, cruising to an unbeaten 48 to guide her side home to a second win from two games. England top Group B with games against Scotland and the West Indies to come.
Re-live all of the action from Sharjah in the blog below:
South Africa 84-2 (15) Wolvaardt 42, Kapp 11, Sciver-Brunt 0-24 (3)
Sciver-Brunt will bowl her third. Kapp crunches the ball down the ground for a boundary.
She will know all of these bowlers so well having played in the Hundred since the start.
Kapp has injected a new life into this batting performance and lifted the scoring rate significantly.
11 runs from that over.
Wicket! Bosch out for 18! South Africa 75-2 (14) Wolvaardt 40, Kapp 3, Glenn 1-18 (4)
Bosch tries something different, she reverse sweeps for a boundary! The ball races away for four, but when she tries it for a second time, Glenn strikes and Bosch is bowled!
That does bring the dangerous Marizanne Kapp to the crease alongside Wolvaardt, and these two will want to accelerate the scoring rate now.
Kapp is off the mark straight away with a quickly run two that almost turned into a run out with both players stranded at one end. But again England rue a missed chance.
South Africa 67-1 (13) Wolvaardt 39, Bosch 13, Smith 1-21 (3)
Linsey Smith will bowl her third, and Bosch sweeps square towards cow corner, but it’s just two runs.
She paddles into the leg side for another single.
Still no boundaries have come off the bat in what feels like a very long time. But that was a bit more expensive, seven from it.
South Africa 60-1 (12) Wolvaardt 37, Bosch 9, Glenn 0-10 (3)
Glenn continues in this trial by spin and even coming down the pitch, Wolvaardt can only manage a single.
While Bosch is struggling with just seven runs from 18 deliveries, she adds another though paddling the ball up to long off.
Bosch improvises, coming across the stumps to try and hook down towards long leg, but again there is no boundary.
South Africa 56-1 (11) Wolvaardt 35, Bosch 7, Ecclestone 0-7 (2)
Ecclestone has a big shout for lbw, there’s nothing given from the umpire, and after a discussion Heather Knight thinks better of it.
The batters are really struggling to score runs, that over goes for just two, which is good for England.
South Africa 513-1 (10) Wolvaardt 35, Bosch 6, Glenn 0-6 (2)
Glenn is frustrating Bosch, the first three balls of her second over are dots. Halfway through the over it has been 23 balls since the last boundary.
Just the three runs from the over, largely aided by a poor throw in from the deep scuppering a run out chance.
That will be drinks and the half way mark. This pitch is difficult to score on but England have done well so far.
South Africa 51-1 (9) Wolvaardt 32, Bosch 5, Dean 0-15 (3)
Dean is a bit wayward and Wolvaardt sweeps, its fumbled on the line but stopped from crossing the boundary.
The batters are just working the ball around for ones and twos, which England seem content to let them do.
Sophie Ecclestone has dropped Bosch! That’s the third drop and England need to step up their game here.
South Africa 45-1 (8) Wolvaardt 28, Bosch 3, Glenn 0-3 (1)
Time for a bit of leg spin from Sarah Glenn. England have kept their bowlers rotated pretty much constantly, not allowing the batters to settle against anyone.
There are four spinners, but they all offer something different.
Three runs from the over, England are turning the screw slightly here.
South Africa 42-1 (7) Wolvaardt 26, Bosch 2, Ecclestone 0-5 (1)
Ecclestone comes into the attack for the first time as soon as the powerplay restrictions have been lifted.
Wolvaardt is still at the crease and that will be a bit of a concern for England.
She starts with a fairly tidy first over, just five runs from it.
Wicket! Tazmin Brits out for 13 South Africa 37-1 (6) Wolvaardt 22, Bosch 1, Smith 1-14 (2)
Wicket! Brits is out the first ball of the final over of the powerplay!
Brits decides to go up into the air and it was straight to Gibson who held on.
Wolvaardt hits a four to ease the pressure.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments