Recent Match Report – ENG Women vs SA Women 2nd Semi Final 2021/22

The pair added 116 for the fifth wicket with Wyatt being dropped as many as five times

50 overs England Women 293 for 8 (Wyatt 129, Dunkley 60, Ismail 3-46, Kapp 2-52, Klaas 2-55) vs South Africa Women

South Africa started off reasonably well in their new-ball burst on a surface that had a fair amount of bounce, carry and lateral movement off it. Tammy Beaumont’s cover-driven four and a bouncer from Ismail that pinged her the helmet bookended the opening over. In the fourth over, Beaumont’s tentative feet movement, and a well-directed swelling outswinger from Marizanne Kapp had the opener edge to keeper Trisha Chetty for just seven.

Klaas created an opportunity off the first ball of her spell. Wyatt leaned in and offered a thick edge to first-slip Lizelle Lee, who couldn’t hold on to the low catch to her left and the ball raced away for four. Wyatt bludgeoned an authoritative cover drive one ball later and England finished the powerplay on 44 for 1.

Knight, who scratched to a 19-ball 1, was then adjudged lbw via the DRS off a Khaka inswinger. Sciver initially proved up to the task of keeping up the tempo when she joined Wyatt in the middle in the 13th over. But her stay would be cut short to an 18-ball 15 as a mistimed pull off a bouncer from Ismail found Kapp in the midwicket region. England slipped to 77 for 3 with Sciver’s departure.

Wyatt, for her part, responded to the challenge of turning a strong suit into a trap with aplomb from the get-go. South Africa’s quicks dug in a barrage of short-and-wide deliveries at her. A well-patrolled arc between extra cover and backward point, though, didn’t deter Wyatt from unleashing the cut at will. It was her most productive shot on the day, fetching 34, and her squares drives were equally domineering.

With No. 4 Amy Jones she led a sizeable rebuild, their 51-ball 49 stand taking England past 125 inside 26 overs. Striking at over 90 for the best part of the innings helped Wyatt ensure England’s run rate was never quite a concern in evidently batting-friendly conditions, but the fall of wickets was.

After Chloe Tryon took an agile catch running back to send back Jones for 28 off 32, Dunkley complemented quick-scoring Wyatt superbly as the pair blunted the majority of the challenge posed by South Africa’s four-pronged pace attack.

Wyatt reached her half-century off 56 balls and hundred with a single guided into the off side in the 97th delivery of her innings. The England dressing room lauded the effort with a standing ovation as Wyatt raised her fist upon reaching the milestone. It wasn’t until the 45th over she’d be caught at short third by Lee, who’s making her 100th appearance in the format along with captain Sune Luus, to belatedly hand Klaas her first wicket of the game.

Klaas followed up that strike with Katherine Brunt’s while Ismail accounted for Dunkley and Ecclestone in the 50th over as England rounded out a supercharged performance with the bat with 75 runs in their final 10 overs.