| England 293-8 (50 overs): Wyatt 129, Dunkley 60, Ismail 3-46 |
| South Africa 156 (38 overs): Du Preez 30, Ecclestone 6-36, Shrubsole 2-27 |
| England won by 157 runs |
| Scorecard |
England will face Australia in the final of the Women's World Cup after Danni Wyatt's magnificent century propelled the defending champions to a 157-run defeat of South Africa.
The opener took advantage of being dropped five times to crash 129.
Sophia Dunkley made a measured 60 and added 24 to the total.
South Africa's chances of pulling off the largest chase in women's one-day international history largely rested on the opening pair of Laura and Lizelle Lee.
When England beat the same opponents in the semi-finals in the summer of 2017, Shrubsole was the hero.
South Africa were dismissed for 156 as spinner Ecclestone tore through the lower order for her first international five-wicket haul.
England were on the verge of elimination after losing their first three games, but have since won five in a row to reach a second successive final.
The all-powerful Australians will meet the Heather Knight's side at the Hagley Oval on Sunday in what promises to be a great finale to the tournament.
England lost to South Africa in the final of the group stage on March 14th, and it was not believable that they could have made it.
Some of the players thought they were out of the tournament.
Since then, they have improved, eliminating errors with the ball and in the field, and finding contributions from most of their batters.
The dismantling of a talented South Africa side that had previously only lost to Australia was built on this performance.
The previous victory over England was different for the South Africans. South Africa looked affected by the pressure of the occasion, compared to Knight's side who missed chances in the field.
South Africa have been beaten in all three of their 50-over World Cup last-four ties to go along with two losses in the T20 version.
He has had a nomadic career. She was dropped from the World Cup in 2012 and 2013 after being moved up and down the batting order.
She made her highest score in an one-day international when England needed it most.
The chances missed by Marizanne Kapp when she was on 36 and by Lara Goodall when she was on 77 were particularly poor. The other drops came when he had 22 and 116.
The right-handed player slashed through the off side and then sprinted between the wickets. When England were 126-4 in the 26th over, they were in a bad position, but for the combined efforts of Dunkley and Wyatt.
After South Africa held a Wyatt miscue to short third, England was pushed out of sight.
It was Shrubsole who ended the South Africa chase before it started.
Five years ago, Shrubsole was England's hero in the final and semi-final, and dragged them over the line with the bat against New Zealand. She had Lee turn a catch to the middle of the field.
South Africa were already four down by the 24th over, when left-armer Ecclestone was held back.
With the lower order exposed, Ecclestone took all of the remaining wickets with her trademark bounce, guile and accuracy.
Kapp and Mignon du Preez were the first two to fall, and the last two to fall were Shabnim Ismail and Masabata Klaas.
Some England players were in tears of joy as Ecclestone grabbed the match ball.
Australia stands in the way of another world title.
Heather Knight is the England captain. I think that was a complete performance from us today.
The fact that we have played knockout cricket for the last four games has helped us.
We are all equal on the morning of the game and what a story has been written for us if we can do it.
South Africa captain Sune Luus said they didn't have their best fielding performance. All credit to them, they played well today. We did not bring our best performance today, so we are feeling that.
We need to be more clinical. We will keep working on it, but we won't be taking away from the campaign.
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