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Laura Wolvaardt showcased her brilliance with an outstanding 169, leading South Africa to a commanding 125-run victory over England, securing their spot in the ODI Women’s World Cup final for the first time on Wednesday.
South Africa scored 319-7 and subsequently bowled out England for 194 in just 42.3 overs, with medium-pace bowler Marizanne Kapp achieving impressive figures of 5-20 in the opening semi-final held in Guwahati.
The Proteas will face the winner of the second semi-final between current champions Australia and India in the title match on Sunday near Mumbai.
This marks South Africa’s third consecutive final in a women’s World Cup, having reached two in T20 formats and now their first in the 50-over prestigious competition. They lost to England in the semi-finals of the preceding two ODI World Cups in 2017 and 2022.
Nadine de Klerk took the last wicket, dismissing Linsey Smith for 27, sparking celebrations within the South African team. Wolvaardt set the stage for victory with her inaugural World Cup century, forming a 116-run partnership with fellow opener Tazmin Brits, who contributed 45 runs. Wolvaardt notched her 10th ODI century and then accelerated the scoring in the final overs, ultimately amassing 20 fours and four sixes during her 143-ball innings.
With a total of 470 runs, including one century and three half-centuries across eight matches, she ascended to the top of the tournament’s batting leaderboard.
The stylish batter began her innings with a crisp cover drive for four off Lauren Bell, and the opening duo consistently found the boundary, putting pressure on England.
South Africa‘s run build-up encountered a setback when England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone claimed two wickets in quick succession, bowling out Brits for 45 and removing Anneke Bosch for a duck shortly after.
Although England made regular breakthroughs, Wolvaardt remained resolute, forming vital partnerships with Kapp, who scored 42, and Chloe Tryon, who finished with an unbeaten 33.
Wolvaardt was eventually out in the 48th over off Bell, leaving the field to a standing ovation and congratulations from the opposing players.
Ecclestone was the standout bowler for England with figures of 4-44, having been cleared to play despite a shoulder injury sustained in the previous match.
South Africa’s Kapp set the tone early by claiming two wickets in her first over, dismissing Amuy Jones and Heather Knight, both for ducks.
Ayabonga Khaka removed Tammy Beaumont for a golden duck in the second over, and despite a brief resistance from skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey, the England innings crumbled.
Sciver-Brunt, the top scorer with 64 runs, and Capsey, who added 50, built a 107-run partnership for the third wicket, but the South African bowlers responded strongly after their departures.
Kapp took out Sciver-Brunt, followed by the dismissals of Sophia Dunkley and Charlie Dean caught behind, putting her on the brink of a hat-trick, which was narrowly avoided by Ecclestone.
