And in terms of off-field muscle, there is little comparison between the highly resourced and world-leading Australian system and that of South Africa. Australia’s previous two World Cup wins had involved narrow victories over the South Africans – in a semi-final in Sydney in 2020, and then in the decider at Newlands in 2023.
Australia’s innings never really found fluency, restricted to just 35 from the opening Powerplay and only able to reach 134 thanks to a late flurry from Phoebe Litchfield. The South Africans used the new ball well, getting plenty of swing.
Phoebe Litchfield dives successfully in the crease during the semi-final match.Credit: AP
But Australia will rue the fact that players as powerful as Ash Gardner and Annabel Sutherland did not get to bat, perhaps suggesting others could have taken a few more risks to push the tally up past 150.
“Early on we thought it was really tricky,” McGrath said. “[Beth Mooney] and I at the 10 over mark thought maybe 140 was par. We felt like consolidating a little bit, try, and rotate the strike, get into innings, and then take the game on.
“But they bowled really well. And we were certainly trying. We tried almost everything. And we’re constantly communicating, constantly trying to come up with a plan. Just, yeah, it didn’t go our way … probably left a few out there.
“Phoebs came in made it look really easy, Pez with a really good contribution. Going into our bowling innings we thought while we were slightly under, we thought we could defend that – but yeah, just wasn’t quite on with the ball.”
Australia suffered a shock semi-final loss to South Africa.Credit: Getty Images
While McGrath still felt the score was defendable, her bowlers quickly had no answer to Wolfvaardt and Bosch. Tellingly, the Australian spin attack of Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux and Gardner were unable to secure a breakthrough. Prodigious wrist spinner Alana King was left out of the side throughout the tournament.
“When we found out that we’re playing them in the semis, it was kind of a thing of, also we have nothing to lose as a team, because the odds are probably in their favour,” South Africa’s Bosch said.
“But I think coming into this game after we beat them earlier in the year for the first time ever in a T20 game, that gave us a lot of confidence and it made us realise that it is possible for us to beat them.
“So, it was a bit unseen or inexperienced territory, or we know we haven’t done before … we were a bit more confident. We knew that in these conditions, it will probably be more fair game, and we will have a better chance of beating them.”
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