ENGLAND, Australia and South Africa booked their places in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 with a game to spare after convincing wins yesterday.

England continued their good form with a 75-run victory over New Zealand, Australia bounced back from defeat against the hosts to score an eight-wicket win over India, while South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets.
England and Australia are now both on 10 points with England placed at the top of the points table owing to a better net run-rate, while South Africa are third with nine points. India and New Zealand are on eight and seven points respectively, with the winner of their last match on Saturday set to make the knockouts.
Meg Lanning inspired Australia to victory with an excellent 79 not out with seven fours and one six, and that was after Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry had taken two wickets each to restrict India to 226-7 from their 50 overs.
Lanning and Perry then saw Australia home with just under five overs to spare. Natalie Sciver scored an excellent 129 from 111 balls as England beat New Zealand by 75 runs in Derby.
Sciver hit 11 fours on the way to her quick-fire century. Tammy Beaumont hit 93 as England scored 284 from their 50 overs.
Alex Hartley was the pick of the England bowlers as she took three for 44 as no New Zealand batter scored a half-century.
Captain Suzie Bates top-scored with 44 as New Zealand were bowled out for 209.
In the other game, South Africa booked their place in the semi-final with a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka.
Dane van Niekerk starred with the ball. She took her third four-wicket haul as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 101.
South Africa made that in just over 23 overs for the loss of just two wickets.

Scores in brief:
England beat New Zealand by 75 runs at The County Ground, Derby.
England 284-9 in 50 overs (Natalie Sciver 129, Tammy Beaumont 93, Amelia Kerr 4-51, Leigh Kasperek 2-49)
New Zealand 209 all out in 46.4 overs (Suzie Bates 44, Katie Perkins 43 not out, Amy Satterthwaite 35; Alex Hartley 3-44, Anya Shrubsole 2-19, Jenny Gunn 2-32)
Player-of-the-match – Natalie Sciver (England)
Australia beat India by eight wickets at Bristol County Ground, Bristol.
India 226-7 in 50 overs (Poonam Raut 106, Mithali Raj 69, Harmanpreet Kaur 23; Ellyse Perry 3-27, Megan Schutt 2-52)
Australia 227-2 in 45.1 overs (Meg Lanning 76 not out, Ellyse Perry 60 not out, Beth Mooney 45)
Player-of-the-match – Meg Lanning (Australia
South Africa beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets at The County Ground, Taunton.
Sri Lanka: 101 all out in 40.3 overs (Chamari Polgampala 25; Dilani Manodara 25; Dane Van Niekerk 4-24; Shabnim Ismail 3-14)
South Africa: 104-2 in 23.1 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 48 not out; Mignon du Preez 38 not out)
Player-of-the-match – Dane Van Niekerk (South Africa)