ENGLAND OVERCOME THE PROTEAS CHALLENGE AND ENTER WC FINALS

The second semifinal of the 10^th ICC T20 World Cup featured England and South Africa. England has enjoyed a golden run in the World Cup. They remained undefeated and for most of the time, they remained unchallenged. The team had a major injury setback with their captain Nat getting injured. Sophia proved to be a great replacement and Charlie led well and Nat’s absence wasn’t felt at all. South Africa began with a poor loss against AUS but won all their remaining games to emerge as strong contenders. At end of the match, it would be an undefeated AUS and undefeated ENG in the finals or SA would get to avenge their only loss against AUS in the finals. South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl. Nat made her way back to the side and Sophia had to sit out. I thought given Sophia’s form, Alice would be the one sitting out. Dane had to make way for Sune in the SA side.

HUNTING IN PAIRS
Fast Bowlers hunt in pairs and there was no pair more formidable than Marizanne and Shabnim. The MaSh pair has been putting up macho efforts in the power play. The onus was on the pair to provide some early powerful dents in the ENG batting line up. Amy and Danny walked in for ENG and Amy rather lazily let the 1st ball of the match (bowled by Marizanne) pass over to the keeper. The first over didn’t have much action and was confined to 3 dots and 3 single. Amy looked rather lazy again in the first ball of second over (bowled by Shabnim). She slapped a short and wide ball, but it went straight to Annerie at covers.  It was a landmark moment for Shabnim as she became the first bowler to take 50 T20I WC wickets with that one.  Shabnim gave away 3 boundaries in the over of the 3^rd & 4^th balls. While Danni showcased her skill & presence of mind while slicing a widish ball past slip and short third for a boundary, Shabnim gifted her 5 in wides with a delivery that strayed well over the leg stumps. In the extra ball, Danni got a thick outside edge which hit the ground before the stumps and bounced past a leaping Sinalo to head for the most lucky of boundaries for a batter.  Danni had another boundary in the 5^th ball but a great effort by Nadine (which had to be confirmed by 3^rd umpire) saved SA a couple of runs. Shabnim began with a wicket but conceded 17 of the next 5 balls. Marizanne bowled Danni with a lovely inswinger that beat Danni for pace and found an edge to the stumps. Marizanne’s scream was too big this time and therefore Danni was saved from the stare. As much as she was effective, Marizanne was miserly as well conceding just 2 in the over. Alice & Nat had their task cut out. Shabnim started the next over with a huge LBW appeal which was turned down by the umpire. SA took the review only for DRS to confirm that the impact was outside leg. In the next ball, there was an even louder appeal and the umpire declared Alice out. Alice didn’t want to waste a review like SA did last ball and walked away. Ultra Edge sponsored by the broadcaster showed that her bat touched the ball before her leg. Nat drove the last ball and Annerie mistimed her dive to give ENG a boundary and mild respite. Marizanne and Shabnim finished the next 2 overs with verve as they conceded only 7 runs combined. At the end of power play, ENG were 35/3 despite a 17 run over. South Africa, precisely the MaSh pair owned the power play.

A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP
Heather and Nat have played 140+ T20Is and stand only next to Danni in T20I matches for England. The experienced duo knew both the importance and technique of coming out of shells. They had to display it in a WC semifinal in front of home crowd. Trust Nat and Heather to do just that. Marizanne came to bowl the 7^th over and finish her quota. Like most of the times in this WC, the 7^th over went for 7 with Nat timing the 5^th ball to perfection for a mid wicket boundary.  Ayabonga was brought in first change at the 8^th over. Heather delicately cut her 3^rd delivery to put it past the backward point for her first boundary. Nonkululeko came to bowl the 9^th over and began with a huge LBW appeal as Nat missed a reverse sweep. The umpire rejected fearing an inside edge. But SA went with the review only for DRS to confirm the edge and that they lost both their reviews. Heather found a boundary in the 5^th ball as she swept Nonkululeko between short fine leg and the leg umpire. Nadine was entrusted the 10^th over and Nat pulled her 2^nd ball to the deep square leg for a boundary. At half way mark, ENG were 68/3. The duo had done well in adding 33 from 4 overs.

Chloe was bestowed the 11^th over and she gave 11 of it courtesy 2 successful sweeps of successive balls by Nat. Ayabonga bowled the 12^th over and she conceded 12 runs that included a Nat scoop boundary & a Heather cut boundary. There was a mathematical delight as SA bowlers conceded 7 runs in the 7^th over, 8 runs in the 8^th over, 10 runs in the 10^th over, 11 runs in the 11^th over and 12 runs in the 12^th over. The 9^th over was the only aberration. But even then it was close as they gave 8 runs. 13 is always a curse breaker and it broke the curse as Nonkulukelo conceded only 9 of it which included a beautiful inside out boundary by Heather. At the end of 13 overs, ENG were 100/3. The NatHea duo scored 33 from 4 and then 32 from 3. ENG looked like heading to a good big score. Nadine confirmed it in the 14^th over in which Nat found 3 boundaries. The second ball was a low full toss and it was heaved over leg umpire. The fifth ball was once again a full toss and Nat scooped it late over short fine leg. The last ball was full and she smashed it to the cow corner for another boundary. The last boundary also brought Nat her fifty. Nonkululeko bowled the 15^th over so well that both the set batters could only score 3 singles together. Shabnim kept the 16^th over tight as well except the 4^th ball which was smashed by Heather over the bowler for a straight boundary. At end of 16 overs, ENG were 123/3. The duo had added 92 in the 10 middle overs without losing a wicket. And they had just completed a very valuable century partnership.

FINISHING ON A HIGH
Ayabonga was entrusted the 17^th over and she began well conceding 2 ones and 1 two. Heather heaved her 4^th ball over deep midwicket for the first sixer of the match. She celebrated her reaching fifty with a walloping shot over mid wicket for another boundary. Nat repeated the shots in the next over as she steered the 2^nd ball of 18^th over (bowled by Nadine) for a boundary between deep midwicket and deep square leg. She walloped the 3^rd ball  high over the midwicket for the second sixer.  She toyed with the mid wicket region again picking another boundary in the 4^th ball. ENG had scored 154 with 2 overs to go. Nonkulukelo finally broke the partnership in the 2^nd ball of the 2^nd last over. Nat’s slog sweep found its way to Tazmin at deep midwicket. One ball later, Heather top edged her to Laura at cover. SA found some solace in the penultimate over conceding just 6 runs and taking the two set batters. Ayabonga came to close the innings and she kept the dangerous finishing combo of Freya and Dani at bay conceding just 5 runs in 5 balls. She bowled the last bell wide and Dani couldn’t steer it fine. The ball sped past Sinalo and ENG ended with 4 lucky byes. They finished at 169/5 and set SA a daunting target of 170. SA needed to take a leaf out of the AUS book when they chased 171 against SA. Laura was due a good innings and remembering the 50 over WC semi finals, it wouldn’t be right to right away SA,

SOUTH AFRICA INNINGS

STEADY START
Linsey opened the bowling as Laura took strike with Tazmin for company. Linsey kept the over in total control giving just 2 singles. Lauren opened her over with a shout for LBW which was turned down and didn’t even merit a DRS. She gave a couple of wides in succession after which Tazmin lofted her over mid on for first boundary for SA. Linsey continued and Tazmin was lucky to start the over with an inside edge that went for a boundary. A couple of balls later, Linsey bowled one wide and Tazmin cut it with authority to beat the offside fielders for a boundary. Lauren continued and gave Laura her first boundary, a drive that beat mid off. Charlie was brought in first change and Laura welcomed her with a straight boundary. SA were 36/0 after 5 with both Tazmin & Laura finding their shorts. Linsey came to bowl her third on the trot and close the powerplay. In the 3^rd ball, Laura came down and smashed the delivery over mid on for a boundary. Laura repeated it again next ball. But Sophie at mid on went back judged the catch well and made it look easy. It seemed SA opened the floodgates as they ended at 43/1 which should have been 45/0. They were still ahead of ENG. Annerie & Tazmin needed to match the Nat-Heather stand.

ALL BUT LOST

Sophie was given the 7^th over and in the 2^nd ball, Annerie tried to hit it over mid off. Charlie was in the same position Sophie was four balls before. But her height and jump ensured Annerie got a life as Charlie couldn’t hold on. Sophie was at her stingy self conceding just 4 in the over. Left arm pace replaced left arm spin as Freya was entrusted the 8^th over. After a couple of singles, Annerie tried to heave her on the leg side. But she found a thick edge and the ball raced to Heather at backward point. Marizanne and Tazmin were at the crease and they had to repeat what they did against India. Sophie and Freya kept it tight and didn’t concede any extras or boundaries in the next 2 overs. SA were 63/2 at half way mark needing 107 more from the second half. ENG were 68/3 at this time. But ENG graph was moving up at this stage while SA graph was looking down. Charlie bowled the 11^th and was greeted with a first ball boundary, this time by Tazmin. However Charlie bowled ENG to joy in the 4^th ball. Marizanne tried to heave one on the leg side but got a thick edge from Marizanne that flew straight to Nat at extra cover. Sune playing after a long time joined Tazmin as SA scorecard read 69/3 after 11. Dani gave some hope to SA in 12^th over offering a boundary to Tazmin and 4 byes to Sune.  But Sophie brought them to reality with another four run over ensuring both the batters couldn’t freeze arms.  Lauren was offered the 13^th over and she started well conceding just 4 of 4 balls. Sune found her first boundary in the 5^th ball as she pulled one past long on for a much needed boundary. But just like Laura, Sune perished after hitting a boundary. She top edged the short ball and Sophie at short fine lag ran back and took a catch which was better than the one with which she dismissed Laura. Charlie bowled the 15^th over and yet again started with a boundary that also brought Tazmin her half century. The very next ball, Tazmin like Marizanne tried to launch on the leg side, got a thick edge and found Nat at extra cover. Any remaining hopes of SA win was closed. SA had its finishers Nadine & Chloe but the duo couldn’t fire straightaway and SA were all but lost. At 101/5 after 16, they needed 69 from the last four.  It would be herculean task for SA to score at 17 per over for the next four overs.

A TAME END
Charlie came to close her quota and was spared a first ball boundary.  But Chloe found two boundaries in the over. She went inside out in the 4^th ball and was lucky to get another boundary with a straight drive past the non striker in the next ball. 12 came of the over but SA still needed 57 which meant 19 an over. Nadine began with a boundary of Sophie. But Sophie struck back in the 4^th ball when Chloe misread her spin and found her stumps shattered. Lauren came to bowl the penultimate over with SA needing an highly improbable 26 of the next 2. Lauren started with a couple of dots and Danni’s direct hit in the 3^rd ball ensured ENG another wicket. In the 5^th ball, Ayabonga got a short ball and she tried to avert the ball and luckily edged it to a boundary. There was  no luck in the next ball as she heaved ahead of a slow yorker to find her stumps broken. Linsey came in to close the innings with SA requiring 47. Even then Nadine or Shabnim couldn’t find a boundary as Linsey gave just 6 runs away. SA ended at 129/8, 40 shy of the ENG target. ENG would face AUS for the 4^th time in a World Cup final as one of the teams would lose their unbeaten streak in the final. On Sunday, Lords will reveal whether AUS will maintain their WC final winning streak against ENG or whether ENG will win their 2^nd successive WC at home.

(Images Courtesy - ICC/Cricinfo)