South Africa v England: Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final 2022 – live! | Sport

Gone! The tournament’s leading run-scorer trudges off, nose down, bat held horizontally, as Shrubsole pulls off an athletic bit of work, plucking the grape from the vine as Wolvaardt lollops back a return catch.

1st over: South Africa 1-0 (Lee 0; Wolvaardt 0) Lizelle Lee blocks Katherine Brunt’s first ball, the two old warhorses ready for battle. She blocks the second as the TV flashes up a win predictor of 84 per cent for England. And the third, the fourth, the sixth and the last. A solitary run comes from a wide.

Incidentally, Wyatt was dropped FIVE times!

Ismail was the pick of the bowlers (3-46), well back up by Marizanne Kapp (2-52) and Klass (2-55), though they were clobbered a bit towards the end. Some stats on the bowling attacks: England rely heavily on their spinners.

Thanks James, you’re a star for taking the night shift. It is indeed chilly in Manchester, the cars frosted and blossoms browned. England, however, were red hot! What an amazing century by Danni Wyatt, and classy innings by Sophia Dunkley and last-gasp hitting by Sophie Ecclestone. England will back themselves here – it should be more than enough on a cracking pitch.

England have given themselves every chance of making the World Cup Final. But beware South Africa, they love to get stuck into a run chase.

With that I’m going to hand over to Tanya Aldred who is up with the lark in what I presume is a chilly Manchester, she’ll take you through the second half of this absorbing game. Good morning and Goodnight!

Ecclestone helps a slower ball round the corner for four! And a top edge goes for four more! And another! Three in a row for Ecclestone! Pitched up and clobbered down the ground. Ismail follows up with a yorker. Dot ball. Last ball of the innings… Ecclestone backs away and is bowled. What a cameo though, Ecclestone scored 24 off just 11 balls.

South Africa will need a World Cup record chase of 294 runs to win and make the final.

Dunkley goes off the first ball from Ismail. Caught at mid on. Her teammates stand to applaud her, they know just how important that innings could be.

48th over: England 281-6 (Dunkley 60, Ecclestone 12 ) Two singles off Khaka. Dunkley then drives for four! She keeps strike for the last with a single off the final ball.

48th over: England 276-6 (Dunkley 54, Ecclestone 11 ) Kapp to bowl her last. Three singles into the deep. Dunkley drives but it hits the stumps at the other end. Another single. Ecclestone drives straight for four! Then sweeps for four! 12 runs off the over. Two to go. Every run crucial as South Africa love to chase, there don’t look to be many demons in this pitch.

47th over: England 262-6 (Dunkley 52, Ecclestone 1) Sophie Ecclestone at the crease and off the mark straight away with a single to fine leg. Three overs to go. South Africa just pegging England back a bit here.

Bowled by the sloooowest of slow balls.

46th over: England 256-5 (Dunkley 50, Brunt 6)Dunkley unfurls a lovely back foot punch to go to 49. A single down the ground brings up fifty! Her third in ODIs and her second of this World Cup. Cool, calm, and classy. Well batted Sophia Dunkley. Brunt goes deep in the crease and crunches a drive away through the lengthening shadows for four! She then gives a pull shot some real welly and it is clawed in on the deep boundary.

45th over: England 247-5 (Dunkley 47, Brunt 0) Katherine Brunt is the new batter. Khaka greets her with a full ball that misses everything and rolls away for four byes!

Wyatt goes for a brilliant 129. Caught at short third by Lizelle Lee. The South African players offer handshakes and back pats. A lovely moment. A great knock.

44th over: England 242-4 (Wyatt 129 , Dunkley 46) Dunkley is opening the shoulders too, swivel-pulling into the wind but the ball evades the sprawling fielders. England continue on their merry way with cuts, sweeps, drives and pulls. South Africa simply unable to stem the flow. The score predictor flashes up 310…

43rd over: England 237-4 (Wyatt 127 , Dunkley 43) Wyatt goes over the covers for another boundary! She’s playing a shot a ball now. Sweeping Khaka for a couple and driving for a single. Dunkley then sets about the bowling and England take 11 from the over. Seven to go – all English eyes on the 300. England have six wickets in hand and Wyatt is on the charge.

42nd over: England 226-4 (Wyatt 119, Dunkley 41) Ismail scons Dunkley with a quick bouncer. Dunkley grimaces but shrugs it off. A glance into the leg side brings up the hundred partnership for Wyatt and Dunkley! This pair have been outstanding, giving England a toe in the final.

41st over: England 223-4 (Wyatt 118, Dunkley 39)Drop! Ismail juggles Wyatt on the boundary and the ball is grassed at the third attempt. The camera cuts to a grinning Heather Knight. Drop again! Wyatt again! A much harder chance, but a diving chance in the covers. The over still yields 5 runs for England in and ‘mongst the butterfingers.

40th over: England 218-4 (Wyatt 116, Dunkley 36) Kapp into her 8th over. She starts with a wide ball for length. The runs are flowing though, Wyatt and Dunkley middling everything and scampering runs with ease. Nine runs coming from the over. Ten overs to go.

39th over: England 209-4 (Wyatt 109, Dunkley 35) England pick up five singles off Tryon.

38th over: England 204-4 (Wyatt 106, Dunkley 34) Kapp back into the attack with South Africa getting desperate for a wicket. Wyatt drives her up and over the infield for four to bring up England’s 200!

Dunkley nudges a single to bring Wyatt on to strike. Deep breath. 99… and DOT. Cut to the fielder. BUT THERE IT IS! 100 for Wyatt! A top knock in a pressure match. She’s been aggressive but also saw off some top bowling early on. A bit of luck along the way with the dropped catches but a fantastic century! Well batted Danni Wyatt.

37th over: England 198-4 (Wyatt 101, Dunkley 32)

36th over: England 188-4 (Wyatt 99, Dunkley 29) Wafty drive from Dunkley that flies away over the vacant slips for a couple. A single brings Wyatt onto strike. Can she make it to three figures? A pull for four takes her to 99! Two dots to end the over… she’ll have to wait a smidge longer.

35th over: England 180-4 (Wyatt 95, Dunkley 26) Khaka into her 7th over. Dunkley mis-times a drive for a single to mid-on. Slap! Wyatt moves into the 90s with a brutal pull off a full bunger. She loves pace on the ball. Especially if it’s a full toss. Another four! Wyatt hoicks a short one for another boundary to the square leg fence! Fifty partnership up too. Solid platform this for England with 15 to go.

34th over: England 171-4 (Wyatt 87, Dunkley 25) Four singles… and then Wyatt laces a drive but straight to Captain Luus at cover, who gives her hands a shake afterwards.

33rd over: England 167-4 (Wyatt 85, Dunkley 23) Gem of an innings again from Dunkley, she sweeps Tryon for four! The spinner has gone for 55 from her 8 overs. England rotate for three singles too.

32nd over: England 160-4 (Wyatt 83, Dunkley 18) Klaas keeps Dunkley honest and reels off the first maiden of the match. Keep an eye on how many Ecclestone and Cross stitch together later on… England have been going at 5 runs an over.

31st over: England 160-4 (Wyatt 83, Dunkley 18)Wyatt is put down by Goodall on the square leg boundary, the ball bursting through her hands and going for four! Wyatt living by the sword and still alive. Four singles and a two make it ten for the over.

30th over: England 150-4 (Wyatt 75, Dunkley 16) Ismail back into the fold for her 7th over, a sure sign that South Africa want to break this crucial partnership. A single each to Dunkley and Wyatt. The umpire calls a short ball a wide much to the bowler’s chagrin. 20 overs to go, what will England be happy with? What will South Africa be happy with? Should I know the answers to these questions?

29th over: England 147-4 (Wyatt 74, Dunkley 15) Five off the over, Wyatt and Dunkley communicating well and picking up singles and twos. And time for a slurp. Drinks. Imma gonna plump for a Horlicks. Other malty/milky drinks are available.

An email! entitled ‘4AM’ from Rosanna Lynch:

“Who’s tuning in through the night? Me and the cat, both vying for control of the sofa… thanks for the OBO keeping us company.” Top effort Rosanna and cat!

28th over: England 142-4 (Wyatt 73, Dunkley 11) Wyatt glances fine for a couple and then drives for a single. Dunkley pulls off the front foot for four! The ball making a satisfying thwock! as it hits the blade. The final ball is driven to mid on for a single. Good stuff from England.

27th over: England 134-4 (Wyatt 70, Dunkley 6) Wyatt continues to play attacking shots, a flat bat shot back past the bowler only brings her one. Dunkley then is down on her haunches and paddles the spinner for a couple, she then rocks back and crisply drives for four! Shot!

26th over: England 125-4 (Wyatt 69, Dunkley 0) Sophia Dunkley arrives at the crease. She’s been Mrs Consistent so far in the tournament. England need her to build another partnership with Wyatt here.

Kapp breaks the partnership and bellows a full throated roar into the Christchurch breeze! Amy Jones hurried up by a short ball and caught at mid-wicket.

25th over: England 121-3 (Wyatt 64, Jones 28) This is riveting cricket, befitting a World Cup semi final. Half way through the innings and both teams going toe to toe. England take 8 runs from Klaas, Wyatt bunting down the ground and slicing through point. Jones chipping into the leg side for a couple. This feels like a crucial passage of play, both sides vying to get on top.

24th over: England 113-3 (Wyatt 59, Jones 25) Amy Jones scorches a drive away across the carpet. Four runs. She has made a very perky 25 runs here, taking the pressure off Wyatt too.

23rd over: England 108-3 (Wyatt 59, Jones 20) Four runs off Klaas’s latest. Decent partnership building between these two batters. And no that isn’t a jinx.

22nd over: England 104-3 (Wyatt 58, Jones 17) 100 up for England. Amy Jones bookends the over with boundaries. The first is a lovely cover drive, the second a meaty edge through the vacant slip region that rolls away for four. The clock creeps towards 4am here in England. Any die-hard fans out there tuning in through the night? Time it was, and what a time it was, it was.

21st over: England 96-3 (Wyatt 58, Jones 9) Tryon whirls away, Wyatt rides her luck, a clubbed shot landing just wide of mid-on! England still take seven from the over, a combination of paddles and pushed drives.

20th over: England 89-3 (Wyatt 55, Jones 5) Ismail is taken out of the attack after getting the breakthrough, the skipper keeping 4 overs from her up her green sleeve. Khaka is back for her fourth over and England take three singles form it. Twenty overs done. Anyone’s game at the moment.