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Key occasions
2nd over: England 14-0 (Beaumont 5, Jones 4) South Africa are additionally opening the bowling with a left-arm spinner, Chloe Tryon on this case. Beaumont drives her second ball within the air however broad of the quilt fielder and away for 4; an in any other case correct over is spoiled by a supply that whooshes down the leg facet for 5 wides.
1st over: England 5-0 (Beaumont 1, Jones 4) Early wickets are South Africa’s solely hope of a miracle so Marizanne Kapp begins with two slips. Amy Jones is crushed by a scrumptious outswinger that solely simply misses the off stump; the remainder of the over is not match to report unremarkable.
Time for the England run-chase (sic). It wasn’t the best pitch on which to attain so it’ll be attention-grabbing to see how England play this – do they suppose solely of run-rate and perhaps sacrifice a number of wickets, or would they reasonably take a bit longer to safe a thumping win by 9 or ten wickets.
Musical interlude
South Africa’s lowest ODI scores
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51 v New Zealand, 2009 World Cup
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63 v Pakistan, 2019
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69 v England, 2025 World Cup
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75 v Bangladesh, 2012
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77 v England, 2013 World Cup
Lauren Bell’s response
What a begin that was! Linsey set the tone and each bowler did their job. We couldn’t be happier with that begin.
Linsey is such a skilful participant and swings the brand new ball so I believe she’ll be actually essential for us transferring ahead.
The pitch was fairly skiddy and the spinners bowled nicely, however hopefully… we’ve restricted them to a fairly good rating! It’s a dream begin and I don’t suppose we could possibly be a lot happier.
England want 70 to win
That’s an unimaginably good begin to the World Cup for England, who’ve worn out a robust South Africa group for simply 69. Linsey Smith, making her World Cup debut, set the tone by placing in every of her first three overs.
She was taken off with figures of 4-2-7-3 however the wickets saved on falling. Sinalo Jafta, who hit 22, was the one batter to achieve double figures. Yikes.
WICKET! South Africa 69 all out (Mlaba b Dean 3)
Nonkulululeko Mlaba misses a slog sweep and turns into the sixth South African to be bowled on this innings. One rattle after one other.
twentieth over: South Africa 67-9 (Khaka 5, Mlaba 3) South Africa’s lowest rating – total and at a World Cup – is 51 all out towards New Zealand in 2009. A young person Marizanne Kapp performed in that sport
“Did they modify the event to T20 from right this moment?” asks Krishnamoorthy V.
It wouldn’t be a lot of a T20 rating both, wouldn’t it. England want 68 to win.
nineteenth over: South Africa 64-9 (Khaka 4, Mlaba 0) Khaka wallops Dean for 4 to get off the mark. And why not?
18th over: South Africa 60-9 (Khaka 0, Mlaba 0) England’s hardest fixtures (India and Australia) are on the again finish of the league stage, and the style of this victory will enhance their confidence going into the upcoming matches towards Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. That Sri Lanka sport every week on Saturday feels notably essential.
WICKET! South Africa 60-9 (Jafta b Ecclestone 22)
Make that 5 South African gamers who’ve been out bowled. Jafta wasn’t taking part in defensively, although: she charged Ecclestone, missed and was cleaned up. No blame connected to her – she’s the one participant to achieve double figures and needed to strive one thing.
That is nearly surreal. South Africa are 60 for 9.
seventeenth over: South Africa 60-8 (Jafta 22, Khaka 0) Because you requested, This received’t be the bottom rating towards England at a World Cup. I’d have to examine however I believe Denmark have been all out for 47 at Banstead on 20 July 1993.
WICKET! South Africa 60-8 (Klaas b Dean 3)
Charlie Dean will get in on the act. Properly bowled, an offbreak that zipped on to beat Klaas on the surface and hit the highest of the stumps.
4 of the eight wickets have been bowled, most of them with the batters taking part in a) defensively and b) for flip that wasn’t forthcoming.
sixteenth over: South Africa 58-7 (Jafta 21, Klaas 3) 4 singles from Ecclestone’s over, plus a play-and-miss from Jafta. Barring a miracle, all South Africa can do now’s minimise the injury to their internet run-rate and morale.
Drinks: Good first hour for England
fifteenth over: South Africa 54-7 (Jafta 19, Klaas 1) Nat Sciver-Brunt, who rammed dwelling England’s benefit in a spell of 3-1-5-2, is changed by Charlie Dean. Jafta, who has performed defiantly amid the ruins, thumps a boundary over the leaping Ecclestone at mid-off.
I believe Ecclestone mistimed her soar, although she won’t have reached it anyway.
14th over: South Africa 48-7 (Jafta 14, Klaas 0) Sophie Ecclestone turns into the third England participant to bowl a wicket maiden right this moment. Within the context of contemporary white-ball cricket, that’s form of preposterous.
WICKET! South Africa 48-7 (De Klerk c Knight b Ecclestone 3)
Sophie Ecclestone will get her first wicket of the competitors with a usually suave piece of bowling, a flighted supply that turns to take the sting as Nadine de Klerk throws her fingers on the ball. Heather Knight took a sensible catch at slip.
Two left-arm spinners, two completely different threats. As Nasser Hussain stated on commentary a second in the past: Linsey Smith troubles batters on the within, Ecclestone will get them on the surface.
thirteenth over: South Africa 48-6 (Jafta 14, De Klerk 3) A shock bouncer from Sciver-Brunt is swatted into the leg facet by Jafta. The ball bounces nicely in need of the deep fielder and South Africa take a single.
twelfth over: South Africa 44-6 (Jafta 13, De Klerk 1) Jafta turns into the primary participant to achieve double figures with an aesthetic late minimize for 4 off Ecclestone.
eleventh over: South Africa 38-6 (Jafta 8, De Klerk 0) A wicket maiden for NSB, who’s hitting the pitch onerous on a stump-to-stump line. It’s price stressing that, whereas timing the ball doesn’t look straightforward on this pitch, there was little or no sideways motion.
WICKET! South Africa 38-6 (Tryon c Capsey b Sciver-Brunt 2)
What the precise. Chloe Tryon chips Sciver-Brunt tamely to mid-on, the place Capsey leaps to take a cushty catch. South Africa are falling aside. The ball have to be stopping within the pitch barely as that’s the second batter to fall to a mistimed chip.
tenth over: South Africa 38-5 (Jafta 8, Tryon 2) Sophie Ecclestone replaces Linsey Smith, two left-arm spinners who’re fully completely different in fashion. Ecclestone’s first ball slips down the leg facet for 5 wides, although it wasn’t one million miles from bowling Tryon around her legs. The remainder of the over is spot on.
There’s an opportunity semi-final qualification will come all the way down to internet run-rate, so it’s essential that England push for extra wickets and attempt to inflict a hammering.
ninth over: South Africa 32-5 (Jafta 8, Tryon 1) Virtually a sixth wicket when Jafta drives simply in need of Capsey at quick mid-on. That is loopy.
NSB bowled within the warm-ups however that wicket got here from her first ball in worldwide cricket since January.
WICKET! South Africa 31-5 (Bosch LBW b Sciver-Brunt 6)
This isn’t a dream begin for England; it’s gone past that now. The captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has struck together with her first ball of the event. Bosch, who performed again when she ought to have been ahead, whipped performed round a stump-to-stump supply, was hit plumb in entrance and fell over simply because the umpire was rasing her finger. Bosch mentioned a evaluate however she and Jafta knew it was out.
eighth over: South Africa 31-4 (Bosch 6, Jafta 8) Wow, Amy Jones has missed a stumping probability! We don’t see that usually. Jafra charged Smith, missed and was relieved to see the unsighted Jones fumble the possibility.
A maiden from Linsey Smith, who has beautiful figures of 4-2-7-3 – but it surely ought to have been a wicket maiden.
seventh over: South Africa 31-4 (Bosch 6, Jafta 8) The No6 Sinalo Jafta square-drives Bell classily for 4. It’s not typically that the one specialist seamer in a group performs second fiddle with the brand new ball.
That’s occurred in the meanwhile. Bell ends her fourth over with a half-volley that’s belted to the extra-cover boundary by Bosch.
sixth over: South Africa 22-4 (Bosch 2, Jafta 3) Smith has bowled nicely – duh – however she’s achieved nothing outlandish with the ball. It’s been typical Smith: a good line from around the wicket with a little bit of inswing. South Africa, who’ve barely performed an attacking stroke off Smith, are like rabbits caught in low wattage headlights.
WICKET! South Africa 19-4 (Kapp b Smith 4)
Have you ever heard the information: Linsey Smith, on her World Cup debut, has three for 4 from 13 balls! Marizanne Kapp is the most recent South African batter to listen to the demise rattle. She pushed defensively down the incorrect line – the ball could have swung in – and was bowled by means of the gate. Not fairly a carbon copy of Tamzin Brits’ dismissal, however not far off.
fifth over: South Africa 17-3 (Kapp 4, Bosch 2) The aptly named Anneke Bosch is the brand new batter.
WICKET! South Africa 17-3 (Luus b Bell 2)
One other one gone! Sune Luus has misplaced her off stump and South Africa are three down. Luus tried to a drive a fullish supply from Lauren Bell that got here again sharply, I believe off the seam, and despatched the off stump for a stroll. It’s solely jolly nicely coming dwelling!
4th over: South Africa 16-2 (Luus 2, Kaap 4) The brand new batter Marizanne Kapp survives a biggish LBW attraction after one other inswinger from Smith. Shut however most likely lacking leg. Kapp then seizes upon a half-volley to punch a boundary by means of additional cowl.
WICKET! South Africa 12-2 (Brits b Smith 5)
Have you ever heard the information: Linsey Smith, on her World Cup debut, has two for none from seven balls! She has simply bowled the in-form Tamzin Brits by means of the gate with a beautiful curving supply. Brits performed the road and was crushed all finally ends up.
third over: South Africa 12-1 (Brits 5, Luus 2) Bell will get some additional bounce to beat Brits, who will preserve attacking regardless of the lack of Wolvaardt. That’s the best way South Africa play as of late.
Later within the over Luus will get off the mark with a clip for 2.
2nd over: South Africa 9-1 (Brits 4, Luus 0) Smith, whose roundarm spin makes her a clumsy proposition, bowls 4 dot balls to Sune Luus to finish a wicket maiden.
WICKET! South Africa 9-1 (Wolvaardt ct and b Smith 5)
Linsey Smith strikes together with her second ball at a World Cup! England determined to open with left-arm spin reasonably at one finish and the transfer paid off immediately. The captain Laura Wolvaardt push-drove with onerous fingers and chipped a easy return catch again to Smith. What a begin for England.
1st over: South Africa 9-0 (Wolvaardt 5, Brits 4) A stable begin for South Africa, with a boundary apiece for the openers off Lauren Bell. I used to be going to explain these boundaries, however STOP PRESS.
The South African opener Tazmin Brits averaged 26 from 30 ODIs at first of 2025. To date, so meh. A glowing 109 towards India in Colombo was the catalyst for the very best yr of her profession: 109, 14, 26, 38, 57, 26, 101, 101*, 171*.
In case your psychological arithmetic isn’t what it was, that’s 643 runs at a mean of 92. And in her final three innings – sure, sure, I do know – she averages 373.
The gamers are lining up for the anthems. Whereas they sing it loud, I’m going to seize a espresso. Be again for the primary ball.
Extra pre-match studying
Even by Emma John’s requirements, that is fairly sensible
It’s mere years that girls within the subcontinent have been taken severely as cricketers. For generations, they confronted scorn, disapproval, ostracism – even the specter of violence – to pursue their ardour. Now India is internet hosting a World Cup through which the prize fund is $13.8m (£10.3m) and the house nation’s gamers will turn into nationwide treasures in the event that they safe their first event victory.
It will, then, be a travesty if this weekend’s speak targeted on their male counterparts. And but, when India face Pakistan on Sunday, comparability is unavoidable. And never as a result of the house facet are extremely favoured to triumph, however as a result of they don’t seem to be anticipated to shake fingers with their opposition. Handshakegate, if we should name it that, can have a fourth instalment.
Pre-match studying
A terrific interview with Tammy Beaumont from the most recent challenge of Wisden Cricket Month-to-month.
Beaumont’s experiences of the beginner period have given her a broad perspective on the sport. She is finding out for a Grasp’s in management in sport, and it’s clear she thinks deeply about cricket and its wider influence. She desires ladies’s cricket to retain the “accessibility and heat” that characterised its non-professional years however says an more and more poisonous atmosphere makes that difficult.
We’ve received to maintain sharing our characters and tales however, on the identical time, we have now to guard ourselves. Media scrutiny is an element and parcel of professionalism. What I wrestle with at instances, and it’s not handled correctly, is abuse on-line. That’s gone by means of the roof within the final couple of years. We’re nonetheless making an attempt to construct manufacturers and develop the sport and work together with followers on-line however, for me, I’m like, completely not. I would like none of it. It’s gone from social media being a device for the great of the sport to now the place it’s simply fixed abuse. Among the stuff that my teammates received in The Hundred, in addition to myself, was completely disgusting. Racist, horrendous, sexist stuff. Horrific. And nothing is basically achieved about it.
Raf Nicholson’s preview
The job of choosing an XI might be made simpler by the expectation that the captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, will bowl her full allocation of 10 overs, permitting England the luxurious of choosing seven batters towards South Africa. “She’s been one of the vital profitable bowlers within the WPL prior to now few years so we’re hoping to proceed that type in 50-over cricket,” Edwards stated.
England’s high order is stacked with expertise, with Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont set to open the batting and Heather Knight at No 3. Knight injured her hamstring towards West Indies in Could and confronted a race towards time to be match-ready for this event, choosing time in a hyperbaric chamber over surgical procedure.
Staff information
England have resolved the Alice Capsey/Emma Lamb dilemma by selecting them each in a robust batting line-up. Lauren Bell is the one specialist seamer, supported by Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Heather Knight returns from damage to play her a hundredth ODI.
There aren’t any surprises in a robust South African group; it consists of 9 of the XI who performed in final yr’s T20 world Cup last defeat to New Zealand.
England Beaumont, Jones (wk), Knight, Sciver-Brunt (c), Dunkley, Lamb, Capsey, Dean, Ecclestone, Smith, Bell.
South Africa Wolvaardt (c), Brits, Luis, Kapp, Bosch, Jafta (wk), Tryon, De Klerk, Klaas, Khaka, Mlaba.
England win the toss and bowl
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt calls incorrectly and Nat Sciver-Brunt chooses to discipline first. That’s a helpful toss to win with the potential for batting to turn into simpler beneath the lights.
“Don’t thoughts having a bat an excessive amount of,” says Wolvaardt.
Preamble
Ssshhhhhhhhh! The speaking is over, no less than for now, and England’s World Cup is about to start. The dangerous information is they begin with a troublesome sport towards South Africa in Guwahati. The excellent news is they begin with a troublesome sport towards South Africa in Guwahati. Victory right this moment would give England instantaneous momentum and underscore the cautious confidence of their pre-tournament chatter.
A wonderful win over Australia of their final warm-up has elevated that confidence, even when the person performances of Alice Capsey (88 not out) and Sarah Glenn (5 for 32) gave Charlotte Edwards a slight choice headache.
Edwards is a serial winner, so there’s no hazard of England setting their sights low. However from a distance they’re within the barely uncommon place of getting a really clear par for the event.
Failure to achieve the semi-finals can be a minor shocker, even permitting for the advance among the many conventional also-rans. Reaching the ultimate forward of both Australia or India, the 2 clear favourites to win the competitors, can be a critical achievement. And if England win it… no, let’s not go there. It’s method too early for that form of speak.
Right now’s match begins at 10.30am BST.
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