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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP):
Australia will play the West Indies and South Africa will play England in the semi-finals of the Women’s Cricket World Cup after the make-up of the top four was finally decided Sunday on the last ball of the last match in the league stage.
Mignon du Preez hit the winning run from the final ball of the final over of the final match to finish 52 not out and lead South Africa to a three-wicket win over India. In doing so, South Africa snuffed out India’s semi-final hopes in the cruellest of circumstances.
Du Preez was caught in the deep with three runs required and two balls remaining, in a moment which seemed to swing the match in India’s favour. She was walking from the field when the umpires consulted the television official and determined that Deepti Sharma, who was bowling the last over from which seven runs were needed, had over-stepped.
The decision reprieved du Preez, gave South Africa a run, another ball and a free hit and they took the opportunity to clinch a win that crushed India’s hopes of reaching the final for the second consecutive tournament.
South Africa’s win also secured a semi-final place for the West Indies who were powerless spectators to the events of the final day. After completing the league matches, they were in third place with seven points behind unbeaten Australia and South Africa who both had qualified.
The West Indies would have been denied a semi-final place if India had won but South Africa’s win kept their tournament alive.
Earlier Sunday, defending champions England eased into the semi-finals with a 100-run win over Bangladesh.
Sophia Dunkley made 67 and Nat Sciver 40 as England posted 234-6 as they batted first after winning the toss. Their spinners then shackled Bangladesh who were unable to threaten the total and were bowled out for 134 in the 48th over.
The pitch at the Basin Reserve in Wellington was slow, which suited spin bowlers but made batting tricky. Dunkley surmounted the conditions more than any other batter, taking her 67 runs from 72 balls with eight boundaries.
England lost their first three matches in New Zealand and struggled to find their best form but came into the last day of the eight-team round-robin in a three-way contest for two remaining semi-final places.
India set South Africa a challenging total, reaching 274-7 as they batted first at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Smitri Mandhana made 71 and set the tone of the innings with her opening partner Shafali Verma who made 53 from 46 balls. Mithali Raj made 68 and Harmanpreet Kaur 48.
South Africa then pulled off the second-highest successful run chase at a World Cup. Laura Wolfaardt, the leading scorer at the tournament, made 80 to set the platform for the innings. But it fell to du Preez, who has been short of runs in recent matches, to guide her team home.
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