Three ducks and one wide. That was the disastrous scorecard for England’s top order, a catastrophic collapse from which they never recovered as South Africa stormed to a 125-run victory and into their first-ever 50-over World Cup final.
Marizanne Kapp was the executioner, delivering one of the great opening spells in World Cup history. She started with a double-wicket maiden, bowling Amy Jones with a “nip-backer” and then forcing a fatal error from Heather Knight, who chopped on.
With their top three batters all gone for 0, England’s chase of 320 was over. Kapp, who became the all-time leading World Cup wicket-taker, returned to finish with five for 20.
This clinical annihilation was in defence of a massive total, 319 for seven, set up by a magnificent 169 from captain Laura Wolvaardt. Wolvaardt’s 28-ball, 69-run explosion at the death had set an impossible task.
While Alice Capsey hit a maiden ODI fifty, it was a footnote. The story of the chase was written in those first few overs: one for three, a scoreline that summed up England’s day.
