• SA U19 Women reach T20 World Cup final

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    Ashleigh van Wyk’s bowling heroics helped South Africa became the first team to reach the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup final, with a five-wicket victory over Australia.

    Van Wyk was the star of the show, taking 4-17 as she helped restrict Australia to 105-8 from their 20 overs.

    It soon became clear that it would not be enough, particularly as Jemma Botha smashed 37 from just 24 balls to set South Africa on their way.

    Skipper Kayla Reyneke took up the chase with 26 as South Africa got home to keep their perfect record in this year’s competition.

    South Africa made the perfect start with Nthabiseng Nini trapping Ines McKeon lbw from the very first delivery of the match.

    Grace Lyons followed in the third over, run out after Lucy Hamilton had driven the ball straight only for Nini to get down and get a touch on it, diverting it onto the stumps with the wicketkeeper out of her crease.

    Skipper Hamilton and Caoimhe Bray went about rebuilding, with the former hitting three boundaries in quick succession.

    She fell lbw sweeping to opposite number Reyneke to make it 30-3, which brought Eleanor Larosa to the crease and she provided useful support for Bray.

    The 15-year-old all-rounder took the initiative, with the pair adding 27 in 7.5 overs before Larosa was caught and bowled by Seshnie Naidu for seven.

    Hasrat Gill soon followed for one, becoming Van Wyk’s first victim as she was brilliantly caught on the run by Luyanda Nzuza.

    Bray was joined by Ella Briscoe as Australia looked to pick up the scoring rate. Bray finally departed for an invaluable 36, caught and bowled by Van Wyk.

    The spinner added two more in the space of three balls to finish with figures of 4-17 but Briscoe smashed four boundaries to finish with an unbeaten 17-ball 27 to take Australia to 105-8.

    Botha showed her intent from the start, finding the boundary through the offside twice in the first over.

    Simone Lourens got in on the act, leaving Australia in need of a wicket. Chloe Ainsworth provided it with her very first ball, bringing one back and bowling Lourens for five.

    As Botha continued to find the boundaries, Fay Cowling joined in, hitting the first six of the match before miscuing one off Hasrat Gill to go for seven.

    That brought Reyneke to the crease, but she let Botha take the lead, showing her comfort against pace with powerful striking including two sixes of her own after surviving a run-out scare.

    The game was in danger of getting away from Australia, but Hamilton struck an important blow, with Botha caught at cover by Juliette Morton to depart for a 24-ball 37, making it 56-3 in the eighth over.

    Reyneke and Karabo Meso came together, adding 38, with the required rate not an issue as it hovered around three an over.

    They were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over with singles, while picking off the odd boundary until Meso was brilliantly caught in the deep by Lily Bassingthwaighte off Gill for 19.

    The hard work was done by that point, however, even after Reyneke fell for 26 to a brilliant catch by Bray with three still required.

    They got there with 11 balls to spare, and will now prepare to take on India or England in their first final at this level.

    Photo: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

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    Dylan Johnson