England were clinical as they defeated South Africa by 137 runs to advance to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 final and keep their title defence alive.

Danni Wyatt’s maiden World Cup century saw England post an imposing 293 for eight as Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley put on 116 for the fifth wicket.

In response, South Africa were rocked as Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee fell early before Sophie Ecclestone continued her red-hot form to take six for 36 to bowl South Africa out for 156.

Tammy Beaumont started with attacking intent taking a four off the first ball from Shabnim Ismail but was caught behind by Trisha Chetty from the bowling of Marizanne Kapp to leave England on 10 for one.  Heather Knight strode to the crease but never found her rhythm before she departed for one from 19 deliveries.

England then took advantage of the spin from Chloe Tryon as Wyatt led the run-scoring but partner Nat Sciver fell as Ismail got her first wicket, the right-hander unable to direct a bouncer into a gap with Kapp holding the catch having earlier dropped Wyatt off a similar shot.

Tryon then took a screamer to dismiss Amy Jones and end a promising 49-run partnership, Jones going for a big heave into the on-side to leave England in a precarious position at 126 for four.

Dunkley joined Wyatt in the middle, with the opener well on the way to her century, but she survived being dropped a third time, in this instance while on 77 as Lara Goodall let the ball sail straight through her hands for four.

Wyatt took full advantage as she brought up her hundred, her first at a World Cup, from 98 balls with 10 fours, before being dropped again on 116 as Ayabonga Khaka’s poor day continued.

South Africa finally held on to a chance as Wyatt departed for 129 from 125 balls, Lee holding onto a catch and making amends for an earlier drop as Masabata Klaas earned a deserved wicket.

Dunkley reached her fifty not long after, coming up off 62 balls, as she earned back-to-back half-centuries, to move England to 250 for five.

Katherine Brunt had been given license to hit with less than five overs remaining but was bamboozled by a slower ball from Klaas to bowl her for nine.

Ecclestone and Dunkley clawed back any momentum South Africa had built with that wicket before Dunkley departed for 60 caught going for a big drive to mid-off.

Ecclestone was unfazed sending Ismail for three boundaries in the final over before the fast bowler had the final say bowling the spinner for 24 as England ended on a mammoth 293 for eight.

Anya Shrubsole had batted England to victory in the 2017 semi-final against the Proteas, but here she delivered with the ball, bowling the tournament’s top scorer Wolvaardt for a second-ball duck.

Lee followed in Shrubsole’s next over, as Sciver held on to a catch at midwicket to reduce South Africa to eight for two.

Kate Cross was the second bowler to get a wicket in her first over as she bowled captain Sune Luus for 21 before Charlie Dean got in on the act to dismiss Goodall for 29 and put South Africa in all kinds of trouble on 67 for four.

Dean had earlier dropped Goodall and then dropped the dangerous Kapp but her spin twin Ecclestone came to her rescue removing Kapp with a turning delivery.

England were so relaxed they could share a laugh in the field at a poor review for LBW on Tryon but the steely determination returned as she was sent on her way the very next ball by Ecclestone to see the Proteas slump to 101 for six.

Mignon du Preez became Ecclestone’s third victim, and 17^th of the tournament, missing the ball going for a paddle and seeing her bails fly off.

Dean held on to a catch to dismiss Ismail as Ecclestone kept piling on the pressure to leave South Africa on the brink of 148 for eight.

Ecclestone then completed her maiden international five-wicket haul as Klaas was caught by Beaumont for three before finishing it off by removing Chetty to finish with the best figures of this World Cup to bowl South Africa out for 156 and set up a final with Australia on Sunday.

Scores in brief

England beat South Africa at Hagley Oval, Christchurch by 137 runs
England 293/8 in 50 overs (Danni Wyatt 129, Sophia Dunkley 60; Shabnim Ismail 3/46)
South Africa 156 all out in 38 overs (Mignon du Preez 30, Lara Goodall 29; Sophie Ecclestone 6/36, Anya Shrubsole 2/27)
Player of the Match: Danni Wyatt (England)

Australia earned their place in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 final with a comprehensive 157-run victory over the West Indies in a rain-reduced game.

Meg Lanning’s side were at their destructive best with the bat, Alyssa Healy making 129 as she and Rachael Haynes put on 216 for the first wicket, to set up a mammoth total of 305 for three from 45 overs.

The West Indies never looked like getting close in their chase, captain Stafanie Taylor was her side’s top-scorer with 48 as the West Indies could only manage a total of 148.

Play got underway one hour and 45 minutes late as thick mist and drizzle started to give way to sunshine with the match reduced to 45 overs.

Having been put in to bat, Australia were undeterred by the West Indies’ fast bowlers running in on a green wicket in gloomy Wellington as they made 37 from the nine-over powerplay.

Healy took her time getting going, she made just 10 from 25 balls through the first ten overs but then picked up the pace to bring up her fifty from 63 balls.

Her second fifty would come off just 28 balls as she achieved a maiden World Cup hundred as she and Haynes earned their 200-partnership within 32 overs.

Healy eventually departed for 129 from 107 balls, including 17 fours and one six, as the West Indies held on to their first catch of the day, substitute Shakera Selman, on for the injured Anisa Mohammed, diving in.

A mini fightback ensued as Chinelle Henry took two wickets in an over, Haynes going first for 85 from 100 balls before Ashleigh Gardner’s promotion from seventh to third ended after 12 runs as the West Indies dragged Australia back to 235 for three.

Lanning and Beth Mooney were there to steady the ship however, the two batters with the highest averages in the tournament, taking Australia to 305 for three from their 45 overs, the largest-ever score in a World Cup knockout game.

In reply, the West Indies made a steady start once again led by Deandra Dottin but soon lost their first wicket as Rashada Williams went for a 10-ball duck, Mooney holding on to a stunning grab off the bowling of Megan Schutt.

Annabel Sutherland did what the Windies could not, safely holding on to a looping catch at long-on to dismiss Dottin for 34 from 35 balls as she had just started finding the boundary regularly.

Hayley Matthews fell for the same score, this time from 49 balls, as Jess Jonassen took the first wicket from spin for the day with her fourth ball, Alana King holding on to a poorly-timed shot at mid-off.

Matthews’s wicket did not spark the West Indies into life as they slipped to 91 for three in 22.4 overs, Taylor joined by Shemaine Campbelle as the required run-rate climbed above 10 an over.

Sutherland chipped in with a wicket as Campbelle sent a delivery straight to Jonassen to depart for eight from 22 balls.

Chedean Nation came out with intent cracking a six from her first ball but could add only more before being run out by Healy.

Kycia Knight followed for a two-ball duck as Jonassen moved to 10 wickets for the tournament and reduced the West Indies to 126 for six.

Gardner then looked to catch Jonassen up getting her ninth of the World Cup to dismiss Ramharack LBW a ball after she was dropped by Sutherland.

Taylor eventually departed for 48 from 74, with four fours, and with it the West Indies innings and run in the World Cup came to an end as the injured Mohammed and ill Henry did not take to the field.

It gave Australia a 157-run win as they advance to their seventh World Cup final, while the West Indies search for a first Women’s ODI World Cup title goes on.

Scores in brief

Australia beat West Indies at Basin Reserve, Wellington by 157 runs
Australia 305 for three in 45 overs (Alyssa Healy 129, Rachael Haynes 85; Chinelle Henry 2/51, Shamilia Connell 1/46)
West Indies 148 all out in 37 overs (Stafanie Taylor 48, Deandra Dottin 34, Hayley Matthews 34; Jess Jonassen 2/14, Megan Schutt 1/8)
Player of the Match: Alyssa Healy (Australia)