After getting off to a promising start, South Africa let things slip on Thursday night and were unable to recover as they bombed out in the semifinals of the Women’s T20 World Cup, falling in a 40-run defeat to England at The Oval in London.

Chasing a target of 170 runs to win, in an attempt to reach their third successive T20 World Cup final, the Proteas were anchored by in-form opening batter Tazmin Brits.

Brits dug deep while wickets tumbled around her, but she too was eventually removed in the 14th over of the innings when she got a leading edge off a Charlie Dean delivery to England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt at extra cover. She contributed 51 runs off 45 deliveries for her 16th T20 International half-century.

The home team’s attack combined well, with five of their bowlers taking wickets, as the SA side were restricted to 129/8.

Earlier, having been sent in to bat, England were pinned back early in their innings after seamers Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp struck hard to have the hosts floundering on 23/3 in the fourth over.

However, Sciver-Brunt and veteran middle-order batter Heather Knight managed to stabilise the host nation’s innings, ultimately sharing a match-winning 113-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Sciver-Brunt, who missed her team’s last three games due to a calf injury, was particularly impressive, with the skipper bashing 75 runs off 47 balls. And she was well supported by Knight who made 58 off 47.

While they were both removed by spin bowler Nonkululeko Mlaba in the penultimate over of the innings, by that point the damage had been done as England racked up 169/5 in their 20 overs.

England will face Australia in the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup to be played at Lord’s on Sunday.