South Africa 208 for 1 (Brits 114*, Wolvaardt 45, Dercksen 37*) beat Netherlands 120 for 8 (Molkenboer 41, Khurana 36, Khaka 3 for 19) by 88 runs

Their bowlers had to do far more work as the Dutch openers put on their sixth-highest opening stand, of 58. When they were separated, the required run-rate was already up to 12.5 an over and so, the Netherlands had to bat to a different target. Molkenboer and Sterre Kalis put on 42 for the second wicket but then Netherlands fell away. They lost eight wickets for 20 runs between the 15th and 20th over, including three in the final over and were 120 for 8 at the end of the innings.

The result sees South Africa’s net run-rate move into positive territory – 0.734 – though they are still well behind India on 2.268.

Brits, Wolvaardt find their touch

It has been tough going for Wolvaardt at this tournament as she struggled to find her touch, equally so for Brits. She was dropped for the first two matches, and then forced to play slightly differently from her natural game as she helped Marizanne Kapp rebuild. Offered the chance to bat first, the pair looked like a duo who were trying to work things out. Wolvaardt missed out on two short, wide deliveries dished up first up but Brits punished a similar ball for the innings’ first four. Wolvaardt soon found her first four, through mid-wicket but the signature cover drive only came in the fifth over.

Desperate for a breakthrough, Babette de Leede brought on legspinner Silver Siegers in the fifth over, but she was too short and was plundered for 17 runs. South Africa were 66 without loss after the Powerplay. They slowed down a touch as Caroline de Lange created two chances – a stumping and a catch off Brits, who was on 46 but both were missed. Their partnership grew to 121 before they were separated when Wolvaardt tried to hit another short, wide ball but feathered it behind.

Dercksen does it at No. 3

South Africa didn’t know who their No. 3 was before this tournament but they do. Annerie Dercksen has established herself in the role with two good knocks at this tournament. She read the game situation well, and gave strike to Brits at first, while allowing herself the time to get her eye in. Dercksen was seven off the first six balls she faced and watched Brits score 31 runs off 20 balls before she put her foot on the gas. Her first boundary came off the seventh ball she faced when she smoked Hannah Landheer over extra cover for six. Dercksen was dropped on 14 but made the most of her lifeline and scored 23 runs off eight balls including back-to-back fours off Iris Zwilling in the final over to finish with a strike-rate of 231.

Dutch delight in the Powerplay

Any idea South Africa had about running through the Dutch were quickly quashed in the second over when Phoebe Molkenboer sent Shabnim Ismail for back-to-back-to-back boundaries and showed no fear against the tournament’s fastest bowler. As she has done throughout this tournament, Ismail erred on the side of too short and was hit three times on the leg side and Molkenboer found and punctured the gaps on the leg side.

South Africa should have had the wicket of the other opener, Sanya Khurana, for three, when she edged Marizanne Kapp to slip. Chloe Tryon made a mess of a simple chance. Khurana made South Africa play when they made their first chance and hit Ayabonga Khaka both sides of the wicket as she struggled to find her lines. Khurana wasn’t done there and she took on Ismail as well, lapping a yorker for four to reach 30 off 21 balls. Netherlands were 50 without loss after Powerplay and comfortable at the crease.

Ismail’s short ball does the trick again and prompts a collapse

There’s a method to Ismail’s insistence on using the short ball and it was evident in the 15th over, when she was brought back to bowl her third. She fired one into Kalis, on 26, Kalis was cramped for room, went for the pull and gloved it to Sinalo Jafta, who took a good catch to end Kalis’ innings. That wicket sparked a Dutch collapse as they lost their next eight wickets in 21 balls, as their batters tried to finish strongly. Ayabonga Khaka took three wickets in her final over, including two in two balls to end the innings.