Proteas set 135 to win T20 World Cup semifinal against Australia

The Proteas women put in a solid bowling and fielding effort to keep Australia in check as the defending champions managed 134-4 batting first in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semifinal at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday night.

The Proteas won the toss and put Australia in to bat. South Africa kept things tight over most of the innings, before the Australians opened up over the final few overs to boost their total.

Opener Beth Mooney top scored for Australia with 44 off 42 balls (2x4), while Ayabonga Khaka was the pick of the Proteas' bowlers with 2-24 in her four overs.

It was a good start to the match for the Proteas as Khaka struck with the first ball of the second over, as Grace Harris (3) slashed the ball straight to Anneke Bosch at backward point who took a great catch just off the ground, with the score 7-1.

Marizanne Kapp got in on the action in the next over as Georgia Wareham (5) tried to cut a wide ball but got an edge through to keeper Sinalo Jafta.

The umpire did not raise the finger at first, but the Proteas reviewed the decision and got the call overturned, leaving Australia wobbling on 18-2 after two overs.

Mooney and captain Tahlia McGrath (27) had to rebuild and took their side to 35-2 at the end of the powerplay, which was their lowest powerplay score of the World Cup so far, and then to 53-2 by the 10 over mark.

Needing to pick up the rate both batters started trying to accelerate, but McGrath popped an easy catch to Annerie Dercksen off the bowling of Nonkululeko Mlaba at the start of the 13th over as the Aussies slipped to 68-3.

Mooney seemed to be getting into her stride and was looking dangerous when she hit the ball straight back to bowler Kapp towards the end of the 17th over and set off for a quick single before turning back, but Kapp was quicker as she ran her out leaving the Australians on 99-4.

That brought in Phoebe Litchfield, 16 not out off nine balls (3x4), to join Ellyse Perry, 31 off 23 (2x4), and they boosted the total with 31 runs off the last three overs.

That included Perry being dropped on the boundary by Tazmin Brits off Mlaba in the 19th over, while Brits slightly made amends with a top catch on the boundary off Khaka’s final ball of the innings to remove Perry.

AUSTRALIA: Beth Mooney (wk), Grace Harris, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (capt), Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka