TAUNTON, England (CMC) – Shelly Nitschke captured four wickets for 21 runs from four overs, as Australia booked a place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup, when they rolled over South Africa by 24 runs yesterday.

New-ball bowler Nitschke ran through the South Africa Women middle-order, as Australia Women successfully defended a target of 165 in their final group match at the Somerset County Ground.

Australia Women now join England Women, India Women, and New Zealand Women in the knockout stages of the competition.

It didn’t look that way, when Australia Women stumbled to 79 for five in the 13th over, after they chose to bat.

But their captain Karen Rolton struck five fours and one six in 43 from 33 balls, and Alex Blackwell hit six fours and one six in 40 from 22 balls to give the Aussie Women a late boost.

Rolton and Blackwell added 68 for the fifth wicket before she became the last of three wickets for 27 runs from four overs for Shabnin Ismail.

South Africa Women made a bright start, when Shandre Fritz collected six fours and one six in the top score of 39 from 23 balls, and Trisha Chetty half-dozen boundaries in 36 from 25 balls to share 73 in 43 balls for the first wicket.

The South Africa Women, however, fell away under the weight of Nitschke’s bowling, and no other batter scored more than 20.

In the other match, 50-overs World champions England Women finished the group stage untouched, when they crushed Pakistan Women by 63 runs.

England Women’s final total of 123 all out off 20 overs appeared inadequate, but they stamped their authority with incisive bowling, and dismissed the Pakistani Women for 60 in 16.5 overs.

India Women face New Zealand Women in the first women’s semi-final tomorrow at Trent Bridge prior to the first men’s semi-final, and England Women meet Australia Women in the second semi-final on Friday at The Oval as a precursor to the second men’s semi-final.

The Final is on Sunday at Lord’s and precedes the men’s final.