'GOAT' Ecclestone, Wyatt at the forefront of England's stunning turnaround

The puzzle pieces all fell into place at the perfect time for England to cap a remarkable World Cup turnaround with an emphatic semi-final victory over South Africa that earned them the right to defend their title against Australia on Sunday.

From Danni Wyatt's first World Cup century that must surely have cemented her place at the top of the order, to a maiden international five-wicket haul for Sophie Ecclestone, and Sophia Dunkley's second consecutive fifty, England have left themselves with "one last push" to overturn a chastening Ashes defeat against their old foes.

England's chances of reaching the semi-finals, let alone the final, seemed remote after they began their campaign with three straight defeats. But their fifth victory in a row, built on Wyatt's career-best 129 off just 125 balls and sealed by Ecclestone's tournament-best 6 for 36 were key parts of the complete performance captain Heather Knight had been seeking.

Likewise, Wyatt's place as opener was far from decided at the start of the tournament. She played the first two matches, against Australia and West Indies, at No. 6 and was only elevated for the group-stage match against South Africa when England dispensed with the out-of-form Lauren Winfield-Hill.

Before her unbeaten 76 against Pakistan, also at Hagley Oval a week ago - her first half-century at a World Cup in 17 innings - Wyatt's best score of the tournament was 33 against West Indies.

Wyatt played seven matches as opener at the 2013 World Cup, including England's third-place play-off victory. She then had four innings in the middle order at the 2017 edition but didn't play in the knockout stages.

She played two ODIs on England's tour of New Zealand a year ago but was then dropped for the 50-over leg of their home series with India, returning to the ODI set-up when England hosted the White Ferns in September.

"I've had a weird career especially in my ODI career, been up and down like a yo-yo, but I'm happy to bat wherever the team want me to bat," Wyatt said. "I've obviously been given the chance to open the batting, which is where I want to bat.

"It's my job to get the team off to a good start and take the opportunity and I'm really chuffed with how it went today and hopefully this can be the start of a long and successful career at the top of the order."

Before this match with South Africa, England was the only side in the competition without a 50-run opening stand, their highest being 31 against West Indies.

After a streaky start by fellow opener Tammy Beaumont, who was hit on the helmet by a fierce Shabnim Ismail bouncer on the sixth ball of the day and was caught behind off a loose waft at a Kapp outswinger not long after, Wyatt dominated a 41-run stand for the second wicket with Knight, who fell for just 1. She then shared another, more even, partnership worth 49 for the fourth wicket with Amy Jones, who contributed 28.

But it was Wyatt's union with Dunkley, who played brilliantly for her 60, that took the game away from South Africa, adding 116 runs off just 112 deliveries in a busy, mature partnership.

Wyatt rode her luck, dropped five times - on 22, 36, 77, 116 and 117 - the penultimate time drawing a sheepish grin from Knight as she watched from the stands and the last one a difficult chance that Mignon du Preez couldn't hold diving at cover.

"I'm really chuffed with how it went today," Wyatt said. "I woke up this morning and really wanted to contribute to a win and that's what happened. It's been the longest trip we've ever had, so one last push and we want to take the trophy home with us and have a well-deserved holiday afterwards."

England left home at the start of January and were comprehensively beaten by Australia in their multi-format Ashes series before travelling straight to the World Cup. When the sides met in their first group-stage game, Australia - the overwhelming pre-tournament favourites - won by 12 runs.

In that match, left-arm spinner Ecclestone's figures read none for 77 from 10 overs, but she has since moved to the top of the wicket-takers list with 20 at an average of 12.85 and economy rate of 3.40, bolstered by her performance against South Africa. During the tournament, Ecclestone also moved ahead of Australian counterpart Jess Jonassen to No. 1 on the ICC's bowling rankings, a position she already held in T20Is. But an international five-for had eluded her until now.

Fittingly, Anya Shrubsole, the heroine of England's 2017 World Cup triumph, took the wind out of the chase, removing the dangerous Laura Wolvaardt for a duck with a sharp return catch and Lizelle Lee, who was caught by Nat Sciver at midwicket as South Africa slumped to 8 for 2 in four overs.

Ecclestone then took away any hope of a recovery, bowling Kapp and du Preez, either side of another Sciver catch at midwicket to dismiss Chloe Tryon, before tidying up the tail to leave South Africa desperately short, all out for 156.

One of the first to reach Ecclestone after she had Trisha Chetty stumped to seal victory was Wyatt, who leapt into her arms to deliver a congratulatory embrace.

"Soph bowled exceptionally well again today, she's an absolute GOAT and I'm so chuffed for her," Wyatt said. "That's going to be the first of many five-fors and she was absolutely unplayable today, especially with that pace and dip, a bit of turn as well that she was getting.

"I actually said to Nat (Sciver) on the pitch how she would go in men's international cricket, I think she's bowling exceptionally well at the minute and she's not fun to face in the nets that's for sure."

Knight was thrilled with her team's showing, which further proved her suggestion through the latter part of the tournament that England are peaking at the right time.

"That was a real complete performance from us today, what we've been searching for a little bit," Knight told the host broadcaster at the post-match presentation. "I'm really chuffed that the girls have brought their best cricket when it's all on the line.

"I think the fact that we've been playing knockout cricket for the last four games has really helped us a little bit. It felt like another game that we've been playing... really excited for Sunday."