The Proteas’ first World Cup semi-final appearance in 17 years was propelled by a lethal bowling attack.
Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp have set the tone for the Proteas for much of the tournament with the new ball. The pair’s most devastating performance saw them restrict West Indies to 16-5 after eight overs, before being bowled out for a scarcely-believable 48.
Kapp finished with career-best figures of 4-14 in that match and has remained consistent as she currently occupies second on the wickets charts with 12 scalps.
Should a good platform be laid by the seamers, it allows the change-bowlers to play a more attacking role. Nowhere was this more evident than in Dane van Niekerk’s performance against West Indies, where she took a remarkable 4-0. She continued her sensational form against India (4-22) and Sri Lanka (4-24) to sit atop the wickets charts with 15 wickets.
Sune Luus also appears to be hitting her straps at the perfect time. The 21-year-old was the standout performer in the 59-run defeat to Australia in the final round-robin clash.
The spinner’s 5-67 in the middle overs against the Aussies kept the No 1 side in check, as they only managed 269 after a fast start. Should Luus continue in the same vein, she could be a handful against England.
The final members of the Proteas quintet, Ayabonga Khaka and Mosaline Daniels, are also due good performances after a quiet tournament which has seen them take three wickets apiece. They have, however, performed good holding roles for their side, evident in their economy rates of 4.08 and 4.31 respectively.
Should the bowlers continue their fine form, South Africa may well cause an upset against England in the semi-final.
