Shabnim Ismail, who last played for her country on 26 February at the 2023 T20 World Cup final, will open the other end at 37-years-old. <\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 1st over: Australia 1-1 (Mooney 1, Litchfield 0) What a start for the Proteas. Kapp started a little too straight to Mooney and was clipped for a single. Her second ball was a jaffa that almost found the top of Voll\u2019s off-stump, swining away from leg stump. Then she bagged the wicket. It was a poor stroke from the Australian but they all count.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Voll c Reyneke v Kapp 0 (Australia 1-1)<\/p>\n South Africa strike in the first over! It\u2019s a little soft from the Aussie opener. A shortish ball was tamely spooned off the back foot towards a diving Reyneke at midwicket who held on as she tumbled to the ground. That wasn\u2019t short enough to play the pull shot and Voll wasn\u2019t able to time it at all.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Looks like Marizanne Kapp, with her strong action and tricky length, will take the new ball.<\/p>\n She is some cricketer. For my money, one of the top five women cricketers of all time. But that\u2019s a chat for another day.<\/p>\n Here she is to Beth Mooney\u2026<\/p>\n Square leg and a cover sweeping the two boundary riders. Fine leg is up. Two catchers \u2013 one at first, the other at fourth.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Anthems now. <\/p>\n BTW, Australia are in green. South Africa are in gold.<\/p>\n No, it\u2019s not just you. I don\u2019t like it either.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The sun has come out above Old Trafford. Was looking a little gloomy a few minutes ago but it\u2019s \u201cbright and breezy\u201d as Nasser Hussain has just said on comms.<\/p>\n Everyone in the crowd is wearing a jacket. Looks chilly.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Elyyse Perry is playing her NINTH World Cup.<\/p>\n My goodness. What an absolute legend.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery edition is a clean slate,\u201d she says. \u201cLooking across the competition there are so many strong teams.<\/p>\n \u201cEach time you come to a World Cup it\u2019s just about putting your best foot forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Teams<\/p>\n Four spinners for Australia! <\/p>\n [Insert Peep Show reference here.<\/a>]<\/p>\n Laure Wolvaardt doesn\u2019t mind having a bowl first. One final tournament you\u2019d think for Shabnim Ismail who is back in the side after more than 1,200 days and will tear in with the new ball.<\/p>\n Australia: Beth Mooney (wk), Georgia Voll, PhoebeLitchfield, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux (c), Kim Garth, Alana King.<\/p>\n South Africa: Laure Wolvaardt (c), Sune Luus, Annerie Derksen, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Kayla Reyneke, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Toss: Australia win, bat first<\/p>\n \u201cWill be good to get out there and put a score on,\u201d says Sophie Molineux as the coin flip goes her way.<\/p>\n She reckons the deck will slow up as the match develops.<\/p>\n Sophie Molineux of Australia and Laura Wolvaardt of South Africa take part in the coin toss. Photograph: Alex Davidson-ICC\/ICC\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.26 EDT<\/p>\n A win here this afternoon is especially important given the presence of India in the group.<\/p>\n Only the top two teams will progress to the semi-finals.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n For so long, Australia sat alone at the top of the pyramid.<\/p>\n It was everyone else who craned their necks up and wondered how they\u2019d hunt down this uncoquerable beast.<\/p>\n Now they have to do the hunting as they look to win back a crown that felt glued to their head.<\/p>\n Martin Pegan sums it up best:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n There are a couple of other blogs on the go as we speak.<\/p>\n Tim de Lisle is wrapping up Scotland\u2019s 40-run win over Ireland.<\/a><\/p>\n And Tanya Aldred is at Blackpool Cricket Club keeping an eye on all the goings on in the Championship.<\/a><\/p>\n I don\u2019t mind if you pop in to either\/both. Just be sure to come back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n This might be neutral territory, but that doesn\u2019t mean both teams are starting as equals.<\/p>\n Australia have won 15 of their past 16 women\u2019s T20Is away from home, including each of their last six; their only defeat in that span came in their last meeting with South Africa in the 2024 semi-final.<\/p>\n South Africa have won only one of their past seven women\u2019s T20Is away from home, an 18-run victory against New Zealand in March. They have lost each of their three games since then, the last time they recorded a longer losing run on the road in the format was a four-match span from September 2023 to January 2024.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble Talk about jumping in the deep end.<\/p>\n Australia, the most dominant nation in this competition with six triumphs from nine editions, and South Africa, beaten finalists in 2024 and 2023, get their tournaments underway in this clash of titans.<\/p>\n Most bookies and bots have the Aussies as favourites, but Sophie Molineux will know not to take the Proteas lightly.<\/p>\n Two years ago, Anneke Bosch\u2019s unbeaten 74 from 48 balls led South Africa to a stunning eight-wicket win<\/a> in the semis in Dubai.<\/p>\n Australia were once unbeaten against South Africa in this format across eight consecutive matches. But it\u2019s the Saffas who have recent history on their side with two victories from their last three encounters.<\/p>\n The Proteas have qualified for the last two finals \u2013 they lost to Australia by 19 runs in home soil<\/a> and then choked in a 32-run defeat to New Zealand<\/a>. An ageing team will feel this might be their last shot. The Aussies, meanwhile, are out to win back what they\u2019ll feel is theirs by right.<\/p>\n I\u2019m excited for this one! Hope you are too. Ping me a mail with your thoughts.<\/p>\n Things get underway at 2:30pm BST\/11:30pm AEDT.<\/p>\n Teams and other bits to come,.<\/p>\n![\"Daniel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Daniel_Gallan.png\")
Daniel Gallan<\/p>\n