Alana King Claims Seven for Eighteen as Australia Thrash South Africa

Women's World Cup, India

South Africa 97 (24 overs): Laura Wolvaardt top-scored with 31; King 7-18

Australia 98-3: Beth Mooney 42; Kapp 1-11

Aussies secured seven-wicket victory

Alana King delivered the best bowling performance in Women's World Cup annals as the Australians crushed South Africa by 7 wickets to arrange a semi-final clash with the Indian team.

Spin bowler Alana King secured seven wickets conceding 18 runs in her seven overs while the South African team disintegrated from 32-0 to 97 all out in the 24th over, and the Australian side completed the target with 199 balls left.

Alana King became part of an elite club as the 6th woman and 3rd Australian to secure 7 wickets in a women's ODI, while setting a new World Cup benchmark that surpassed New Zealand bowler Lord's earlier best of six wickets for 10 runs against India from 1982.

This success in the venue confirms Australia's position at the top of the leaderboard, having won all six group stage matches, and arranges a semi-final clash against fourth-placed India in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, 30 October.

The Proteas will face the English team, who could leapfrog them into second place with victory over New Zealand on the weekend, in the first semi-final in Guwahati on Wednesday, 29 October.

Opener Wolvaardt stood out as one of only three South Africa batswomen to make double figures, crashing 7 fours during the initial six overs to provide her team a positive opening, but she was dismissed for 31 by Megan Schutt, with King completing the catch at mid-wicket.

{Kim Garth then trapped Brits lbw in the last over of the fielding restrictions before Alana King struck twice in five balls as South Africa collapsed from 42-1 to 43 for four|Following that, Kim Garth dismissed Tazmin Brits lbw in the powerplay's end, and then King struck two wickets in just five balls, causing South Africa to slump from 42/1 to 43-4.

{King took 5 of the last six wickets to fall- with Gardner dismissing Klaas- as South Africa were dismissed for less than 100 for the second time in the competition, having earlier been bowled out for sixty-nine by semi-final opponents the English in their first match|Alana King secured five out of the final six scalps that fell- including Ash Gardner bowling Klaas- as South Africa was all out for under 100 for the second time in this event, after being bowled out for 69 runs by semi-final opponents England in the opening game.

{The defending champions briefly wobbled in their chase, falling to 11-2 inside six overs, before Beth Mooney (42) and Georgia Voll (38 not out) combined to lead them to a routine win|Although the reigning champions faced a scare during the run chase, slipping to 11/2 in the initial six overs, Mooney (42 runs) and Voll (38 not out) teamed up to usher them to a straightforward win.