Alana King Takes Seven for Eighteen as Aussies Demolish South Africa

Women's World Cup, Indore

South Africa 97 (24 overs): Wolvaardt 31 (26); King claimed 7-18

Australia 98-3: Mooney 42 (41); Kapp 1-11

Aussies secured seven-wicket victory

Alana King delivered the finest bowling performance in World Cup history as Australia crushed South Africa by seven wickets to arrange a semi-final meeting with India.

Leg-spinner Alana King secured 7-18 in her 7 overs while South Africa disintegrated from a solid start to just 97 runs in 24 overs, and the Australian side completed the chase with 199 balls left.

Alana King became part of an elite club as the 6th female player and 3rd from Australia to secure 7 wickets in a ODI match, while setting a fresh Women's World Cup record that exceeded New Zealand cricketer Lord's earlier best of six wickets for 10 runs against India from 1982.

The win in Indore secures top spot in the standings for Australia, who have won all six fixtures in the preliminary round, and means they will face fourth-place India in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, 30 October.

Opening player Wolvaardt was notable as one of just three South African batters to score double figures, crashing seven fours during the initial six overs to deliver her team a strong start, but she was bowled out for 31 by Megan Schutt, with King taking the catch at mid-wicket.

{Kim Garth then dismissed Brits leg before wicket in the last over of the fielding restrictions before King struck two times in five balls as the Proteas collapsed from 42 for one to 43-4|Following that, Garth got Brits lbw in the concluding over of powerplay, and then the leg-spinner claimed two wickets in just five balls, causing South Africa to slump from 42-1 to 43-4.

{King claimed 5 of the remaining six wickets to fall- with Gardner dismissing Klaas- as the Proteas were bowled out for under 100 for the second instance in the competition, having earlier been skittled for sixty-nine by knockout rivals England in their first match|Alana King secured 5 out of the remaining six wickets that fell- including Ash Gardner bowling Masabata Klaas- as the team was all out for below 100 runs for the second time in this tournament, after being bowled out for 69 by their next opponents England in the tournament opener.

{The defending champions stumbled briefly in their pursuit, falling to 11 for two within the first six overs, before Beth Mooney (42) and Georgia Voll (38 not out) came together to lead them to a routine victory|Although the reigning champions faced a scare during the chase, dropping to 11/2 in six overs, Beth Mooney (42) and Georgia Voll (38 not out) partnered to usher them to a straightforward win.