England hold nerve in thriller to make final
Sarah Taylor's half-century and Jenny Gunn's cameo unbeaten 27 helped England fight nerves and a full-blown batting collapse to progress to their fifth World Cup final
Sarah Taylor's half-century and Jenny Gunn's cameo unbeaten 27 helped England fight nerves and a full-blown batting collapse to progress to their fifth World Cup final
Scorer: Chandan Duorah | Commentator: Karthik Krishnaswamy
5.30pm A great, great match, one of cricket's great semi-finals. England have confirmed their presence at Lord's on Sunday. Who will join them there, Australia or India? Join us tomorrow to find out. Let's hope it's a cracker just like this one. Until then, it's bye from me and Shashank.
Dane van Niekerk: "We thought we were 30 short, but knowing my team, we went out there believing, and I'm really proud of them. You always have to believe that you can win a game of cricket, and [after Knight's dismissal] I said to them that it was very close - I saw the score on the board - and with our bowling attack, anything can happen. We hope we made everyone proud. We needed some Madiba magic [it's Nelson Mandela Day], but we didn't get it today, but we've had a great campaign."
Heather Knight: "It was tight watching from the balcony, but I'm delighted. We had to find a way, and Jenny was brilliant at the end. The close games are the best to win but the worst to lose - credit to South Africa. What a game of cricket. The biggest prize is going to be the final at Lord's, and I guess [all the unprecedented attention and the DRS and all] has added a bit of pressure. [Asked what the dressing room felt like towards the end] I'm not the best watcher at the best of times. I was pretty nervous, but I trusted the girls who were out there."
Sarah Taylor, the player of the match: "It wasn't the most enjoyable experience [to watch the closing stages from the dressing room], but we were out there and we knew we could still get through. What a great shot from Anya at the end, and great work from Jenny and Fran. They [South Africa] played so well, and to lose from that situation is heartbreaking. We've known that feeling before. The support we've had has been fantastic, and we just want to say thank you as a team. To get through to the final is amazing, and we couldn't be prouder of each other."
Ayushman: "2015 Men's World Cup semi-final, 2017 Women's World Cup semi-final. Both last over losses. South Africa - a tale of so near yet so far. Gotta feel for them."
Exes: "S.Africa paid for extras - 24 runs, compare to England's 4"
James: "We've been spoilt on the cricket finishes front today. First the SL v Zim test, and now this. Cracking stuff."
Shilpa: "A match worthy of WC semi final.."
This comment came in a while earlier, before that last ball, so I'm not sure what moment he's reacting to, but it kind of sums up the game we've just watched -- Joe: "WHAT?!!! Noooooo."
5.14pm The South Africa players look distraught, some of their players sitting slumped on the field. How it must feel to have scrapped all the way, every inch, and lost by this margin? For neutrals such as ourselves, this has been a sensational game of cricket. England were coasting, with Taylor and Knight looking impregnable, before a run-out - what else - changed everything. Sune Luus grabbed two in one over, and nerves set into the chase, before Jenny Gunn joined Fran Wilson to pull them over the line, with some last-gasp help from Anya Shrubsole.
Anya Shrubsole. England need two off three balls. The field is in. What do you do? Do you look to push and run, or go over the infield? What will Ismail bowl?
LA Marsh b Ismail 1 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33
Everyone's saving the single, as far as I can see.,
Three off six. Shabnim Ismail to bowl the last over. She has a long, detailed chat with her captain.
Jarrod Kimber is losing some of the sang froid he's known for. "WHERE IS ALL THE LEGSPIN, KK??????????" he asks. "Why no legspin? What, Dane, done with the legspin? Four full tosses and this is over with. Chetty has been keeping like her hands were shadows, and then a catch like that in this pressure."
This was not a drill. England needed two runs to win with the No. 10 on strike, in a contest that they could and should have controlled from the outset
The tears flowed - on and off the match, before and after the match - as an emotional day was decided in a devastatingly close finale
Sarah Taylor's half-century and Jenny Gunn's cameo unbeaten 27 helped England fight nerves and a full-blown batting collapse to progress to their fifth World Cup final
The hosts have the weight of expectation on them, but also a batting line-up that has been in sensational form