South Africa hope pace bowling attack can subdue Australia

CAPE TOWN : Whatever the result in Sunday’s Women’s Twenty20 World Cup final against powerhouse Australia, South Africa captain Sune Luus says the team already feel like winners having become the first side from the country to reach a global final.

South Africa will be outright underdogs against the five-time champions, despite having a strong bowling lineup and the homeground advantage at what is likely to be a sold-out Newlands in Cape Town.

But having stunned England in a tense semi-final on Friday, Luus believes they laid down a marker for women’s cricket in the country from which they can grow.

"We are achieving our goals, we wanted to inspire a nation and put women’s cricket on the map, to get young boys and girls to pick up a bat and ball. Hopefully tomorrow is just another step in that," Luus told reporters on Saturday.

"We never thought people in our country would stand in long queues to buy tickets for a women’s cricket match. It is something special. I hope once this World Cup is finished, that will stay the same.

"There are a lot of good things to come out of this tournament. If people don’t take women’s cricket seriously by now, then there is no hope."

South Africa had been to five previous World Cup semi-finals across all formats without success, but now stand on the brink of a career-defining moment for what is largely a young group of players.

Their bowling effort has been spearheaded by the pace quartet of Shabnim Ismail, who bowled the fastest ball ever recorded in women's cricket in the semi-final on Friday at 128 kph, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka and Nadine de Klerk.

Luus said that in the final staying focused and not letting the occasion get to them would be crucial.

"We have always known we have the