Hat-trick for Anya as England progress
Western Storm’s Anya Shrubsole took a hat-trick as England beat South Africa by seven wickets to book their place in the last four of the ICC Women’s World T20.
Anya combined with fellow opening bowler Nat Sciver – who recorded the remarkable figures of 4-1-4-3 – and spinners Sophie Ecclestone, Kirstie Gordon and Linsey Smith to dismiss South Africa for just 85 and the batters chipped in to chase it down with seven wickets and six overs in hand.
Danni Wyatt was England’s top scorer with 27, but there was also 24 for Tammy Beaumont and a pair of unbroken 14s by Amy Jones and Heather Knight to see England home.
West Indies’ victory over Sri Lanka secured England’s passage to Antigua – where they will face either Australia or India – but not before England go up against the hosts in Saint Lucia on Sunday.
In a game that saw only the second ever hat-trick in ICC Women’s World T20s, England made short work of an insipid South Africa.
Chasing just 86, England’s openers brought up their fifty partnership off 43 balls, with Wyatt crossing the 1000-run milestone in T20I cricket on the way. Wickets fell against the run of play as they neared the South Africa total, but they eventually secured the resounding win.
Earlier, South Africa were guilty of playing too slow in the first half of the innings for the second game in a row, as they took 28 balls to get the team score into double figures. Big-hitting opener Lizelle Lee took 26 balls for her 12 runs, and the resulting pressure on the middle-order meant wickets fell regularly.
Chloe Tryon then built two partnerships to give South Africa hope of getting to a hundred, but she was dismissed for 27 in the 18th over, the first scalp in a double-wicket maiden from Sciver. South Africa eventually folded for 85 in 19.3 overs.
After the match Anya said: “The bowling has been outstanding in the last couple of games. Nat’s been brilliant with the new ball. It’s something she’s done in the past when I guess either myself or Katherine (Brunt) have been injured, and she always does a brilliant job. She’s worked really hard in the period leading up to this.”
For the match scorecard click here
For match highlights click here
Elsewhere 41 from 25 balls from Stafanie Taylor helped the West Indies to an 83 run win over Sri Lanka. The win means that the hosts are now also through to the semi-final stage.
England image courtesy of Getty Images
