T20 World Cup semi-final hands South Africa shot at history

South Africa have never reached a World Cup final and their women had only ever qualified from their T20 group once before. Now, with Australia in their way but a weather forecast on their side, Dane van Niekerk's side are a single win from the MCG

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“Australia have been in so many semi-finals and finals. We are babies compared to them when it comes to experience,” Dane van Niekerk admitted on Wednesday, 24 hours out from a day of reckoning for South African cricket.

“I think about 2014 and we were shell-shocked that we got into the semi-finals.”

One way or another, the Proteas may well find themselves in a maiden World Cup final on Sunday. The men, famously, have never made it all the way to the showpiece game – either in the 20 or 50-over format.

The women, as van Niekerk reflects, have never quite felt ready. Until now.

With the bat, everyone has had a go and found their rhythm. Van Niekerk and Kapp put on 84 to beat Knight’s side, while Lizelle Lee hit a hundred against Thailand, sharing a 131-run stand in combination with Sune Luus – the highest second-wicket partnership in the competition’s history.

Laura Wolvaardt, redundant in South Africa’s first two games as those above her did their jobs, made a match-winning half century after her top order had faltered against Pakistan.

Mignon du Preez and Chloe Tryon have both shown their ability as finishers in late cameos. Neither have enjoyed much time at the crease, but both have utilised their opportunities. None of the sides left have a late-innings engine room quite like this.

Other than South Africa, just one team – India – remain unbeaten in the tournament. And arguably, it is South Africa who have looked the more assured side; certainly, they have functioned better as a playing group. There is little wonder; van Niekerk’s outfit have been on tour for almost eight weeks already. What they would do to add one final weekend to a trip that began on January 25 with an ODI series in New Zealand.

“You go there wanting to do well in a tournament, but it's different to say you're going to come and win a World Cup,” she explained.

“I don't think we quite understood then what it meant mentally, physically. We've been on tour 54 days already, it’s not as if we've just come over here and are on a 20-day tour.

“We've played the most international cricket out of everyone, it just shows the preparation and learning how to go about it. That's helped us a lot in this World Cup.

"We don't want the heartache of 2017 again. It was very tough for a lot of the players and management. We're definitely going to do everything we can tomorrow to make sure we don't have that feeling again.”

^{Lizelle Lee made a century against Thailand in the tournament's biggest ever win}

It was the last time that the Proteas reached the last four of a global women’s event. After making 218 against England at Bristol, England squeezed home, with van Niekerk’s side sent on its way. There have been few changes in personnel since, only increased life experience – the knowledge of how it feels to fall one step short.

On that occasion, it was a Lord’s final that lay in wait. This time, the carrot of a packed-out MCG awaits the finalists – the chance to play a part in history.

The weather alone might get them there. If not, then Meg Lanning’s Australia will be standing in their way. An Ellyse Perry-less version, but nonetheless the world’s best side, for whom this game might be the biggest yet, given all that Sunday has the potential to mean.

“We’re really confident, Adam Lewis, the SCG’s groundsman, told The Age. “We know the outfield can take the water so all we need is clear weather.

“It looks like it’s going to be clearing in the afternoon with lighter rain, so as long as they have no rain they will take the field. We should be right.

“People thought we shouldn’t have got on for the BBL final, so to prove them wrong and show what we’re capable of is a feather in our cap. We had over 500 or 600mm of water that week.

“That’s given us a lot of confidence but it’s also given the ICC confidence. They saw how hard the team worked in getting the field ready. To get on the field within an hour of all that was a great effort from not just me but everyone.”

“That’s not the way you want to finish a tournament,” Lanning stressed.

“They got a Big Bash final on here, so that gives us a lot of confidence. Hopefully we don’t get to that point.”

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