South Africa to draw on close shaves as Australia tussle starts defining run

Despite winning their opening four matches, passage to the semi-finals is anything but secure for Sune Luus' side ahead of facing the tournament favourites

Few teams have a position more deceiving at the Women's World Cup than South Africa.

Four successive wins at the start of the competition only tells half the story.

Sune Luus' side have been anything but at their best, relying on a touch of fortune and some late inspiration to get over the line in each of their matches.

That said, they sit a single win away from securing a berth in the semi-finals for the second straight tournament.

But starting against tournament favourites and table-toppers Australia, a run of games including fellow last-four contenders West Indies and India stand between them and qualification.

If there is one positive to the tight victories and close shaves, is it that they create a feeling that any situation can be turned on its head, and constantly keeps a squad on its toes.

^{Beth Mooney is averaging 138 at the Women's World Cup, thanks to finishing not out in four of her five innings (David Rowland/Getty Images)}

Having beaten Bangladesh and Pakistan by 32 and six runs respectively, nervy three and two-wicket victories followed against England and New Zealand to leave them four from four, but with plenty of work to do.

"I think it's given us a bit of confidence in tight situations," Laura Wolvaardt. 

"Knowing that we can hold our nerve well at the end there, or at least are trying to. Obviously, it's not ideal. We wouldn't want to be in those situations again. 

"Especially the last game I feel like we could - we had opportunities to end the game a lot earlier in the chase but just lost wickets at unfortunate times at the end there.

"I think it's been good to see us getting over the line in those tight situations. But obviously going forward. I think we try to avoid those as much as we can because they can really go either way in the last over."

Nothing about Australia's dominance of women's international cricket suggests they're going to concede any ground, despite having already secured a spot in the knock-out phase.

Australia have a near-perfect record against South Africa in white-ball cricket (Touchline/Getty Images)

The six-time champions have won 34 of their last 35 one-day internationals and 13 out of 14 previous meetings with South Africa (one no result). 

And worryingly for their opponents, carrying form into the knock-out stage and making a "huge statement" remains a priority.

Beth Mooney said: "I think towards the back end of this competition, you want to gather as much momentum as you can leading into the semis and potentially a final.

"We've shown that we've got the depth within the squad to make sure we're pushing the letter a bit and competing as a world-class team. 

"So (the match), will be no different for us, I'm sure we'll put our best team out in the park, even though we have locked in that semifinal game. 

"Obviously we still want to make a huge statement leading into that semifinal as well. So I'm sure you'll see the best to the Australian team across the next two games."