GUWAHATI: Laura Wolvaardt led from the front with a majestic 169 to help South Africa thrash England by 125 runs and reach their first-ever ODI Women’s World Cup final on Wednesday.
South Africa posted 319-7 and then bowled out England for 194 in 42.3 overs with medium-pace bowler Marizanne Kapp returning figures of 5-20 in the first semi-final in Guwahati.
The Proteas now await the winner of the second semi-final between holders Australia and India for the title clash on Sunday on the outskirts of Mumbai.
South Africa made their third straight final of a women’s World Cup — two in T20 tournaments — and their first in the 50-over marquee competition.
They were beaten by England in the semi-finals of the last two ODI World Cups in 2017 and 2022.
Nadine de Klerk dismissed Linsey Smith for 27 as the last wicket to trigger celebrations in the South African camp.
Wolvaardt set up victory with her first World Cup century as she lay the foundations of the mammoth total in a 116-run stand with fellow opener Tazmin Brits, who made 45.
Wolvaardt reached her 10th ODI ton and then switched gears to take the attack to the opposition in the final few overs, ending with 20 fours and four sixes in her 143-ball knock.
England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone dented South Africa’s surge with two wickets in one over as she bowled Brits for 45 and three balls later sent back Anneke Bosch for a duck.
England struck regular blows, but Wolvaardt stood firm and put on key partnerships with Kapp, who hit 42, and then Chloe Tryon, who made an unbeaten 33.
Wolvaardt finally fell in the 48th over off Lauren Bell and walked back to a standing ovation and handshakes from the opposition players.
Ecclestone stood out with figures of 4-44 after she was cleared to play despite suffering a shoulder injury in the previous game.
South Africa pace spearhead Kapp rattled England with two wickets in the first over as she bowled Amy Jones and Heather Knight — both out for ducks.
Ayabonga Khaka dismissed Tammy Beaumont for a golden duck in the second over and
despite a rearguard by skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capse, the England innings fell apart.
Sciver-Brunt, who top-scored with 64, and Capsey, who made 50, put on 107 runs for the third wicket, but after their depart, the South African bowlers hit back.
Kapp dismissed Sciver-Brunt and then got Sophia Dunkley and Charlie Dean on successive deliveries before de Klerk wrapped up the win.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA:
L. Wolvaardt c Capsey b Bell 169
T. Brits b Ecclestone 45
A. Bosch b Ecclestone 0
S. Luus b Sciver-Brunt 1
M. Kapp c Dean b Ecclestone 42
S. Jafta b Bell 1
A. Dercksen b Ecclestone 4
C. Tryon not out 33
N. de Klerk not out 11
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-11) 13
TOTAL (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 319
DID NOT BAT: A. Khaka, N. Mlaba
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-116 (Brits), 2-116 (Bosch), 3-119 (Luus), 4-191 (Kapp), 5-192 (Jafta), 6-202 (Dercksen), 7-291 (Wolvaardt)
BOWLING: Bell 10-0-55-2 (6w), Smith 10-0-69-0, Sciver-Brunt 8-0-67-1 (4w), Dean 10-0-67-0, Ecclestone 10-1-44-4 (1w), Capsey 2-0-15-0
ENGLAND:
A. Jones b Kapp 0
T. Beaumont c Jafta b Khaka 0
H. Knight b Kapp 0
N. Sciver-Brunt c Jafta b Kapp 64
A. Capsey c de Klerk b Luus 50
D. Wyatt-Hodge c (sub) b de Klerk 34
S. Dunkley c Jafta b Kapp 2
C. Dean c Jafta b Kapp 0
S. Ecclestone c Dercksen b Mlaba 2
L. Smith c Luus b de Klerk 27
L. Bell not out 9
EXTRAS (W-6) 6
TOTAL (all out, 42.3 overs) 194
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Jones), 2-0 (Knight), 3-1 (Beaumont), 4-108 (Capsey), 5-138 (Sciver-Brunt), 6-144 (Dunkley), 7-144 (Dean), 8-151 (Ecclestone), 9-175 (Wyatt-Hodge)
BOWLING: Kapp 7-3-20-5 (1w), Khaka 8-0-28-1 (1w), de Klerk 5.3-0-24-2 (1w), Mlaba 8-0-40-1 (2w), Luus 6-0-41-1 (1w), Tryon 8-0-41-0
RESULT: South Africa won by 125 runs.
PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Laura Wolvaardt
