Australia set up semifinal date with India

South Africa punched above their weight, stretched Australia at times, but while they certainly showed they belong in the semifinal of the ICC Women's World Cup 2017, they suffered a 59-run loss in their final group game at The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton on Saturday (July 15). With both teams already assured of a place in the semifinals, the clash was an opportunity for the teams to gather momentum ahead of the all-important clash.

Set 270, Laura Wolvaardt stroked 71 but with the other batters not contributing much, they were forced to play catch-up for most parts of the game. Even before the contest started, Australia were forced to bring in Rachel Haynes after Meg Lanning was ruled out of the clash. This break also gave the regular Australia skipper a chance to nurse the shoulder injury she has been carrying for a while now.

The clash was meant to be a contest between Australia's batting and South Africa's bowling. Though Luss came up with a magnificent performance, Australias might across departments proved too much to handle for the African nation.

Considering that the Australia openers - Beth Mooney and Nicole Bolton - scored 114 for the first wicket, the South African think-tank would have been certainly unhappy to restrict their mighty opponents to 269. Ellyse Perry scored 55 but Sune Luss's fourth five-wicket haul in ODIs ensured the game never really got away from them.

Haynes, Elyse Villani, Alex Blackwell and Alyssa Healy struggled as Australia went through a tricky period after being 117 for 1. Luss struck twice in consecutive overs to leave Australia at 154 for 4 after 29 overs. Blackwell (33) and Perry took the team past the 220-run mark but it was Luss who dismissed the latter to dent Australia again. The late push never really came as Australia were bowled out in the 49th over.

With a steep chase ahead of the them, South Africa stayed in the hunt with Wolvaardt and Trisha Chetty sharing a 67-run stand. They had already lost Lizelle Lee early but the duo did well to keep the team on track. Though the Australian bowlers ensured a quick finish to the chase, they were left frustrated when the Wolvaardt-Lee partnership flourished.

Chetty was dismissed in the 22nd over while attempting the second run. A perfect throw from Perry and some good glove work from Healy ensured the South Africa No. 3 was found well short. Haynes then landed the knockout punch as she dismissed Wolvaardt in the 33rd over with 148 on the board.

South Africa lost 5 for 33 in the middle period after setting up to platform to push in the last 20 overs. Masabata Klaas and Shabnim Ismail played out the end overs, well aware the match had already slipped from their grasp.

Australia will now take on India in the semifinal clash while England will have to cross the South Africa hurdle to have a shot at winning the title.

Brief scores: Australia 269 in 48.3 overs (Nicole Bolton 79, Ellyse Perry 55, Beth Mooney 53; Sune Luss 5-67) beat South Africa 210 in 50 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 71; Perry 2-47) by 59 runs.