T20 World Cup, The Oval

England 169-5 (20 overs): Sciver-Brunt 75 (47), Knight 58 (47)

South Africa 129-8 (20 overs): Brits 51 (45); Bell 2-28

England won by 40 runs

Scorecard

England roared into Sunday’s T20 World Cup final against Australia with a superb 40-run victory against South Africa at The Oval.

On a brilliant night under the lights in front of a jubilant and expectant crowd, England overcame their recent struggles in pressure matches in the biggest sign of improvement under coach Charlotte Edwards to date.

They wobbled early on, faltering at 23-3 in the fourth over, but captain Nat Sciver-Brunt hit an immaculate 75 from 47 on her return from a calf injury which had threatened to rule her out of the tournament.

She shared a partnership of 133 from 90 balls with England’s other wise head, Heather Knight, lifting England all of the way to 169-5. Knight, equally as impressive as Sciver-Brunt, made 58 from 47.

And while those two provided almost all of the runs, England’s excellence in the field was an all-round effort.

Their fielding – for so long a glaring weakness – was outstanding.

Sophie Ecclestone took a leaping catch to see off Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt and break an opening stand of 43, and took a second tough chance later to dismiss Sune Luus. Danni Wyatt-Hodge also ran out Sinalo Jafta with a direct hit.

As for the bowlers, Lauren Bell and Charlie Dean took two wickets apiece, Ecclestone, Linsey Smith and Freya Kemp one each, as South Africa’s hopes were snuffed out.

Their wait for a World Cup win goes on but England, although they will be second favourites against their oldest rivals at Lord’s, have a real shot at a first trophy since 2017.

Having come through the tournament unbeaten to this point, compared to South Africa, who lost to Australia and stuttered through their group, England were fancied for this game.

But with Amy Jones having cut to point, the tournament’s leading run-scorer Wyatt-Hodge bowled and Alice Capsey pinned in front, albeit with an inside edge she failed to review, they ran into early trouble.

Memories of two previous semi-finals against South Africa, both sorry defeats, were looming large.

What followed was a sensational partnership from Sciver-Brunt and Knight, who drew on all of their experience.

There was only one boundary in their first 20 balls together. They calmed England’s nerves but charged through the second half of the innings – Sciver-Brunt’s ramps emerging and Knight increasingly taking the aerial route.

Plenty in the Oval crowd were standing when Sciver-Brunt reached her fifty. After missing the past three matches, she was passed fit for this match after coming through a training session on Wednesday but there were still huge doubts over whether she would be able to get through the game.

At no point did she look troubled by the calf. She even got off the mark with a quick single and later chased the ball down in the field.

This was, undoubtedly, one of England’s best performances in recent memory.

England’s exit at the last T20 World Cup at the hands of West Indies in the group stage was their fielding nadir. They dropped five catches and were dumped out, and they were not much better in their dismal 2024-25 Ashes series.

Their fitness and athleticism was rightly questioned, but Edwards has calmly taken care of the issue. There improvement has been clear throughout the tournament but never more so than this.

Ecclestone’s first catch, jumping and reaching above her head at mid-on, was the highlight. It was also crucial in removing Wolvaardt, who scored 169 against England in the Proteas’ 50-over World Cup semi-final win last year.

Kemp was arguably the pick of the bowlers. The left-armer, unable to bowl until May because of her back injuries, mixed her pace and conceded only 11 from her three overs.

Dean took the big wicket of Marizanne Kapp, caught at cover off a leading edge, and Luus’ dismissal came when Ecclestone held her nerve under a high catch which looped over her shoulder at short fine leg.

Wyatt-Hodge’s run-out from backward capped off the performance in the penultimate over. With 12 balls to go, South Africa needed 51 – their race was run.

It meant England could celebrate in front of a crowd of 21,128 – a record for a women’s match at The Oval, where England’s women have still never lost.