Brits carries Proteas women into historic World Cup final

Tazmin Brits delivered a spectacular performance with the bat and in the field on Friday, carrying the Proteas into the nation’s first ever World Cup cricket final with a thrilling six-run victory over England in their Women’s T20 World Cup semifinal clash in Cape Town.

Chasing 165 runs to win, England got off to a good start, with Danni Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley sharing a 53-run partnership for the first wicket, but a double strike by Shabnim Ismail in the sixth over halted their early progress.

Ismail first removed Dunkley for 28 runs, and two balls later she dismissed her replacement at the crease, Alice Capsey, for a duck.

Brits’ safe hands

While England managed to recover, Wyatt was sent packing for 34 runs in the 11th over, and Nat Sciver-Brunt looked eager to take the game away from the home side, but Nadine de Klerk had her caught by Brits’ safe hands on the boundary in the 17th over for 40 runs off 34 balls.

England’s Heather Knight also contributed 31 runs in an attempt to keep her team in the fight, but it wasn’t enough as they were restricted to 158/8.

Brits was superb, taking four catches, while Ayabonga Khaka was the best of the South African bowlers, returning 4/29 from her allotted four overs and playing a key role in their breakthrough victory.

Earlier, South Africa’s openers had again shown their worth after winning the toss and choosing to bat.
Laura Wolvaardt and Brits got off to a relatively conservative start, but they gradually lifted the run rate as they took control of the innings.

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Wolvaardt eventually fell in the 14th over, after trying to pick up the run rate, ending a 96-run for the first wicket. She was removed for 53 runs off 44 balls.

Brits then kept up the pace, sticking around until the 18th over before she was dismissed for 68 runs off 55 deliveries, including six fours and two sixes, at a strike rate of 123.63.

And Marizanne Kamp added a quickfire 27 not out off 13 balls in a cameo innings that pushed the Proteas to a solid total of 164/4.

South Africa will face Australia in the final at Newlands on Sunday.