Women's Cricket World Cup: Proteas Wilt in Semifinal as Ruthless England Advances to Final

• The moment got too big for the Proteas as they were dumped out of the 2022 Women's Cricket World by defending champions England
• Chasing a gigantic 294 runs for victory, South Africa was skittled out for 156 to end a promising tournament on a disappointing note
• The loss continues South African cricket teams' misfortune in the knockout stages of international tournaments

The South African women's national cricket team will disappointingly be on a plane home from New Zealand in the coming days.

The Proteas were ruthlessly swatted aside in a 137-run loss by the defending champions in the semifinal of the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in Christchurch. The English will now face off against their arch-rivals Australia in the final, a repeat of the 2017 tournament's decider.

South Africa simply had no answer for their opponent's composure with bat and ball. Danni Wyatt was dropped a staggering five times on the way to scoring a match-defining 129 as England reached a total of 293/8. Spinner Sophie Ecclestone then ripped through the Proteas' batting order with six wickets for 36 as South Africa was dismissed for 156 runs.

Asante Kotoko SC's players, owner, stadium, players, trophies, world rankings

Football

Mignon du Preez top-scored in a doomed chase with 30 runs, while Lara Goodall (28), Sune Luus (21) and Marizanne Kapp (21) got starts but could not convert.

Earlier, Wyatt's century was padded by Sophia Dunkley's 60 and Amy Jones with 28 runs, while Ecclestone raced to 24 runs off just 11 deliveries. Shabnim Ismail impressed for the Proteas with three wickets for 46 runs; assisted by Kapp's and Masabata Klaas' two wickets apiece, though let down by poor fielding.

Wyatt was deservedly named as the player-of-the-match for her effort with the bat.

Cricket World Cup semifinal preview: South Africa chasing history against defending champions England

History is beckoning the South African women's national cricket team.

As reported by Sports Brief, the Proteas will take on defending Cricket World Cup champions England this evening in the second semifinal in New Zealand.

Should the South Africans win, it would be the first time that they would have qualified for a final, something neither senior women's and men's teams have ever done before.