AUS Women vs SA Women, 2nd Semi-Final at Sydney, Mar 05 2020, ICC Women's T20 World Cup

RESULT
2nd Semi-Final (N), Sydney, March 05, 2020, ICC Women's T20 World Cup
(13/13 ov, T:98) 92/5

AUS Women won by 5 runs (D/L method)

Player Of The Match
49* (49) & 2 catches
meg-lanning
Match centre 
Scores: @Thilak_Rama
Scorecard summary
Australia Women 134/5(20 overs)
South Africa Women 92/5(13 overs)
2/17 (3)
21 (22)
end of over 1313 runs • 1 wicket
SA-W: 92/5CRR: 7.07 
Nadine de Klerk6 (2b 1x4)
Laura Wolvaardt41 (27b 3x4 2x6)
Jess Jonassen 3-0-28-1
Megan Schutt 3-0-17-2

10.55pm: So, we have the box-office match-up for Sunday's final: defending champions and hosts, Australia, against the tournament's form side, India. The MCG should be packed to the rafters on International Women's Day. Anyway, thanks for keeping us company through the drizzle - at least we got more than a fizzle in the end. Dan Brettig's report will be up shortly, and stick around for more from Gnash and 'nesh at the ground. From Alex, Thilak and myself, it's ta ra for now; join us again in a couple of days for full coverage of what should be a ding-doing final. Bye!

10.45pm: Time to hear from the captains, starting with a visibly bereft Dane van Niekerk: "Have to give credit to Australia. [Bowling?] We brought them back really well, Nadine [de Klerk] came in for Marizanne [Kapp] and did a great job. All the bowlers did well, bar myself. [Talk in huddle?] It's hard to see the ladies like that, to come short every time. I said we win together and lose together, we're not a team that blames anything or anyone. It was in our hands but unfortunately not our day. Very talented team. Credit to Wolfie, she's been incredible, it's a strong side and I'm heartboken for the team. [Next World Cup is in SA?] It's a great place to come, hopefully the people will come out to support us."

Lanning, Australia's captain, is back with more: "Extremely tense, even the last couple of balls you're not safe. They needed 19 off the last over but you're not safe, that's T20 cricket for you. We felt it was a good total without being great. Needed to bowl well to get the result and it was raining as we came off. Needed to adjust in how we bowled and we were able to execute. [Response to India defeat?] Really about calming everyone down, the first few games flew by, we needed to get back to playing the cricket we wanted to. Been really good since then, we knew we had it in us but weren't playing to our potential. [India again in final?] They're a class side, they've been playing excellent cricket through the tournament. We wanted to give ourselves the opportunity to play in the final. Been a hard road, certainly not smooth, but we've given ourselves a chance. [South Africa?] They've played extremely well, tough opposition, and I hope Marizanne Kapp is okay. They put up an excellent fight and we had to go right to the last ball."

10.35pm: More World Cup semi-final heartache for South Africa, they fall agonisingly short despite the best efforts of Laura Wolfvaardt. There are tears in the camp, they pulled out a brilliant effort against a world-class attack, but it is Australia who steal off with the result beneath storm-swept skies. Fitting that the game was won on the pitch, rather than the DLS sheets... but it'll always be a case of 'what if' for Dane van Niekerk's side. Even the rain let them down this time.

Meg Lanning is named Player of the Match for her run-a-ball 49: "Very stressful, the waiting game during the day and at the ground. The groundstaff did a great job and we were lucky enough to come out the winners. SA bowled extremely well, we lost a few wickets and I had to rein it in a bit. Nice to contribute. [SCG groundstaff?] They did an amazing job, been raining a hell of a lot in Sydney, very thankful we were able to play."

12.6
2
Jonassen to de Klerk, 2 runs

heaves hard, the bat goes flying as the ball squirts into the leg side, that will be enough for Australia! The throw comes in, job completed as de Klerk and Wolvaardt troop through for a second. And now Lanning can erupt, Australia are in the final after a night of drama at the SCG!

Jonassen just needs to make sure she lands this

"What would have happened if this match was a tie and it rains making it impossible to play a super over?? who would go thru in that case??" SA in that case, Raja. But it's not going to happen...

12.5
4
Jonassen to de Klerk, FOUR runs

low full toss, de Klerk smears it through backward square leg! SA clinging on, but they needed more than that at this stage!

SA need two sixes from here... Rain hacking down now. Ye gods!

12.4
1
Jonassen to Wolvaardt, 1 run

darted in, Wolvaardt shovels the ball through midwicket, just one to the sweeper

12.3
2
Jonassen to Wolvaardt, 2 runs

scoots across, belts this on the slog-sweep, bottom hand off the bat... Mooney does brilliantly on the rope to prevent it skidding for four!

12.2
4
Jonassen to Wolvaardt, FOUR runs

full and wide, slashed through backward point for four! Looks like that slipped out of Jonassen's hands in the wet

Nadine de Klerk is next in, Wolvaardt back on strike

12.1
W
Jonassen to Tryon, OUT

holes out to long-off! Full toss from Jonassen but it does the job as Tryon can't get enough on a full-blooded honk down the ground and picks out the fielder

Chloe Tryon c Lanning b Jonassen 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50

Jess Jonassen to bowl, SA need 19. Who's ready to play Carlos Brathwaite...?

And the rain is starting to fall again, too!

end of over 128 runs • 1 wicket
SA-W: 79/4CRR: 6.58 RRR: 19.00
Laura Wolvaardt34 (24b 2x4 2x6)
Chloe Tryon1 (1b)
Megan Schutt 3-0-17-2
Delissa Kimmince 3-0-16-1
11.6
6
Schutt to Wolvaardt, SIX runs

holy moly me oh my! Misses the yorker, Wolvaardt mows this over the rope at deep midwicket! Does that keep South Africa in the game?

Bob Jones: "They say DLS favours the side batting 2nd. I hardly ever see the team batting 2nd win during rain affected games in T20s."

11.5
Schutt to Wolvaardt, no run

right in the blockhole, Wolvaardt can't get underneath a drive, sends it straight back

11.4
1
Schutt to Tryon, 1 run

tailing in, taken on the full and driven to long-off

11.3
1
Schutt to Wolvaardt, 1 run

punched back, Schutt sticks out a hand in her follow-through

Chloe Tryon does walk out now. SA need to give it some humpy, pronto

11.2
W
Schutt to Luus, OUT

legcutter, in the slot but she can't get enough power on it... picks out long-off! Australia erupt in celebration, they are not going to blink here! Pressure catch and Mooney took it coolly coming in off the rope

Sune Luus c Mooney b Schutt 21 (22b 2x4 0x6) SR: 95.45
11.1
Schutt to Luus, no run

goes across early, Schutt fires a cutter full outside off as Luus attempts to paddle around the corner... fails to lay bat on ball!

Megan Schutt to bowl, 27 off 12 the equation

end of over 115 runs
SA-W: 71/3CRR: 6.45 RRR: 13.50
Laura Wolvaardt27 (21b 2x4 1x6)
Sune Luus21 (20b 2x4)
Delissa Kimmince 3-0-16-1
Nicola Carey 2-0-15-0

"South Africa need a Chloe Tryon special!" yelps Sakush KC. "Starred for Hobart Hurricanes in the Women's Big Bash League with average 35.42 and SR 178.41! Has T20I career SR 140!"

10.6
Kimmince to Wolvaardt, no run

brilliant from Kimmince, closes out the over with a wide yorker that Wolvaardt can't lay bat on - just five conceded and Australia are closing in as they close out

10.5
1
Kimmince to Luus, 1 run

wide of the stumps, heading wide of the tramlines but Luus elects to walk across and slap it for one through cover

10.4
1
Kimmince to Wolvaardt, 1 run

full length, Wolvaardt smokes it down the ground

10.3
Kimmince to Wolvaardt, no run

slower ball, foxes Wolfie as she swings hard outside off

10.2
2
Kimmince to Wolvaardt, 2 runs

dropped! Full toss, slapped back, Kimmince gets he fingertips on it! Although more to the point, she did brilliantly to prevent an almost-certain four

10.1
1
Kimmince to Luus, 1 run

full outside off, Luus climbs into a drive through the covers

Right, we are deep in The Crunch here - and we officially have a game! SA need 32 from the last three overs, with Laura Wolvaardt leading the charge. Can SA pull off a maiden win over Australia, and end their semi-final jinx to the boot?

end of over 1011 runs
SA-W: 66/3CRR: 6.60 RRR: 10.66
Laura Wolvaardt24 (17b 2x4 1x6)
Sune Luus19 (18b 2x4)
Nicola Carey 2-0-15-0
Delissa Kimmince 2-0-11-1
9.6
Carey to Wolvaardt, no run

goes back and across but can't work it away behind square

9.5
2
Carey to Wolvaardt, 2 runs

fullish and crunched through mid-on, gets it away for a couple more as deep midwicket comes around

Match details
Sydney Cricket Ground
TossSouth Africa Women, elected to field first
Series
Season2019/20
Player Of The Match
Series resultAustralia Women advanced
Match numberWT20I no. 865
Hours of play (local time)19.00 start, First Session 19.00-20.30, Interval 20.30-20.50, Second Session 20.50-22.20
Match days5 March 2020 - night (20-over match)
Umpires
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