Neither the men’s nor the women’s teams have ever made it to the final of a limited-overs World Cup, even though they have both been to 11 semi-finals. Standing in the way of history on Friday is England, a team that has previously beaten South Africa’s women three times in the last four major competitions.
“We’re searching for that perfect game where all three aspects click and work together nicely,” Luus said. “It’s going to be a big occasion, but we’ve been on the other side of it too many times to know exactly what it feels like.”
“In our (team) meeting, we said we know how it feels on the other side, and we don’t want to be there again, so there’s enough motivation to go out and enjoy the game—nothing to lose.” W”We’re just going to try to play our best cricket and try to enjoy the moment as well.”
The high and the low road to Cape Town
The English have cruised to this stage with victories in all four of their games, while the tournament hosts have been beaten by both Sri Lanka and Australia. In between those losses came a tight victory against New Zealand, while the final group game saw the South African batters start nervously in pursuit of Bangladesh’s 113-6.
But the Proteas’ opening pair of Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits picked up the pace in the second half of the innings for a ten-wicket win against the winless Bangladeshis. “We knew the stakes for that game but, after the first 10 overs, the way the two batters out there went about the chase, that’s the way we want to start (against England),” outlined the skipper.
“It’s a home semi-final, and it’s the first time the crowd is going to be for us and not against us (in a semi-final), so I’m very excited and can’t wait to take the field.” It’s always an honor to be in a semi-final. “It was hard work to get into it, so I’m really proud of the girls.”
History is against South Africa
The semi-final hoodoo has long hung over the African nation, with the most galling semi-final teams experiencing the heartbreak of a last-four exit on five occasions, with Australia, the other side, adding to the three defeats against England.
The most recent of these many semi-final losses was last year at the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand when England beat England.
If they do break the hoodoo, then awaiting them is the small matter of an Australian side that says: “The men, on the other hand, have generally had close-run and sometimes desperate defeats, one of which saw New Zealand hit a six off the penultimate ball to victory.” tory.
“The lowest semi-final winning percentage, above South Africa’s 0.00%, is New Zealand’s 36.84% with seven wins in 19 matches.” Perhaps home advantage might work in South Africa’s favor; this is the fourth World Cup hosted in the country, but it is the first time the hosts have advanced as far as the semi-finals.
“Maybe a final is at last on the cards at the 12th time of trying.”
