England beat SA to meet Australia in WC Women’s final

Reuters: Danni Wyatt scored her second one-day international century and Sophie Ecclestone took six wickets as champions England crushed South Africa by 137 runs yesterday to set up a mouth-watering Women’s World Cup final against heavyweights Australia.

Wyatt, dropped five times, punished South Africa with 129 off 125 balls to help England build an imposing 293 for eight at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.

South Africa had won the toss and elected to field. Ecclestone, the world’s top-ranked spinner, celebrated a personal best 6-36 as South Africa collapsed to be all out for 156.

Thursday’s victory was their most complete performance of the tournament, with Sophia Dunkley chipping in 60 in a 116-run partnership with Wyatt for the fifth wicket.

The English may need to lift their game again, however, to beat undefeated Australia at the same venue on Sunday.

Meg Lanning’s side thrashed West Indies in the other semi-final and have a chip on their shoulder after being knocked out of the 2017 semi-finals.

Australia are unlikely to reproduce South Africa’s ragged fielding display, which saw Wyatt dropped on 22, 36, 77, 116 and 117 before she was finally caught by a scrambling Lizelle Lee after hitting Masabata Klaas to short third man.

By that time, England were well on the way to setting South Africa a would-be world record chase.