Tournament hosts England will play arch-rivals Australia in Sunday’s final at Lord’s. Both sides have won all six of their matches.
England, sent in to bat, slumped 23-3 inside four overs in front of an impressive crowd of over 21,000.
But Sciver-Brunt and Knight, two survivors from the last England side to win a major international trophy – the 2017 50-over World Cup – turned the tide with a fourth-wicket partnership of 133 that took their team to a total of 169-5.
England captain Sciver-Brunt, back from a thigh injury that had kept her out of her side’s last three group games, made 75 and former skipper Knight 58 before they both fell in the penultimate over to left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba (2-25).
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A chase of 170 was always going to be a tough task for South Africa and they suffered a major setback when skipper Laura Wolvaardt was well caught for 17 by a leaping Sophie Ecclestone at mid-on off spinner Linsey Smith.
And the Proteas’ 43-1 was quickly transformed into 49-2 when Annerie Dercksen sliced a slower ball from Freya Kemp to point.
England then captured the prize wicket of Marizanne Kapp when the hard-hitting all-rounder fell for just five when, trying to turn off-spinner Charlie Dean legside, she got a leading edge and gave a gentle catch to an elated Sciver-Brunt at extra-cover.
South Africa opener Tazmin Brits made fifty at better than a run-a-ball before she fell to Dean.
The Proteas, who had beaten England in both the semi-finals of the 2023 edition and in last year’s 50-over World Cup, were all but beaten at 95-5.
Wickets tumbled in a forlorn pursuit, with South Africa finishing on 129-8.
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Earlier, South Africa enjoyed a brilliant start, taking three England wickets inside the first four overs.
Fast bowler Shabnim Ismail struck with her first ball, Amy Jones cutting a loose delivery to point.
England opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge, whose previous five innings had yielded a tournament record 282 runs at a stellar average of 94, was bowled for just 12 by Kapp’s well-disguised slower ball.
England were three down when Alice Capsey was lbw to Ismail.
But Sciver-Brunt and Knight, England’s 2017 World Cup-winning skipper, revived the innings.
The 33-year-old Sciver Brunt, on her Surrey home ground, completed a fine fifty when she whipped Nadine de Klerk through midwicket for a ninth four in 35 balls faced.
Knight slog-swept Ayabonga Khaka for a huge six to go to a 42-ball fifty and Sciver-Brunt also cleared the ropes when hoisting de Klerk over midwicket.
Six-time champions Australia eased into the final with an eight-wicket rout of the West Indies in Tuesday’s first semi-final at the Oval.
–AFP
Photo: Action Images via Reuters/Cat Goryn
