England vs South Africa LIVE: Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 semi-final score, radio, highlights & updates

'Really exciting where we can go'

More from England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt: "We've come a long way since the summer. We're a different side from then and we've learnt a lot.

"This will hurt but hopefully in time we'll be able to take the learnings from it and move forward because we've made some great strides so far in quite a short space of time.

"It's really exciting where we can go. To beat the best teams, you really have to be at your best and hopefully we'll come back stronger the next time."

'We are hurting but it was not going to change overnight'

England coach Charlotte Edwards, speaking on Sky Sports: "Disappointed. You never want to go out in the final stages of a World Cup.

"I am incredibly proud of what the team has achieved and to not play our best today is disappointing.

"Two players performed really well on the big stage: Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt.

"They were outstanding and always step up. The players put everything into today but it wasn't to be for us. There was some good hitting and it is hard to restrict someone on such a good wicket. Just disappointed but credit to South Africa."

On changing the side: "Hindsight is a wonderful thing. This combination has done us well throughout and at times, we just did not hit our stride. To keep them to 280, we could have chased that down but it was not meant to be.

"I came into this role knowing it would not change overnight. We have performed well under pressure and some moments we have not seized. Overall we are making progress but you are defined on your results. We all hoped we could make that final. I don't like losing but I knew what I took on and it would not be a quick fix.

"I am more hungry now to work with these players over the winter and hopefully we can do that. We need to focus on the T20 World Cup from December to March and players will be training for that. Hopefully these players can learn to deal with these situations better.

"We have a performance programme and are targeting 13-15 players who we want to target for that. It is exciting now, we have a new group of players and talent coming through.

"It is going to be a sad dressing room, there is nothing you can say to make things better. Life moves on pretty quickly. I am hurting too."

'You have to put a whole game together - we didn't'

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt: "What an incredibly two innings from South Africa. We weren't at our best today and to beat the best teams you have to [be].

"You have to put a whole game together and we didn't do that today. I'm hugely disappointed. It'll take a bit of time to sink in but just disappointed at the moment."

On staying in the game during South Africa innings: "Definitely. During the powerplay and afterwards, we didn't let the game go too far. We were pretty happy with the control we had and we knew a wicket at one end and we could make some inroads, which we did.

"But obviously they got another partnership together."

On Laura Wolvaardt and end of the innings: "She had the best of the conditions, knew what she was doing and took full advantage. Then with some explosive batters coming in, it made it very difficult for us.

"You have to put a whole innings together at least. We stuck at it as a side, didn't let the occasion get to us in the field and I was pleased with everyone's energy throughout that 50 overs."

On top-order collapse: "Obviously Kappy bowled some brilliant deliveries. We wanted to emulate the start they had with the bat but it wasn;t as easy as just going out and trying to bat the way Wolvaardt did.

"It's not ideal losing three very quick wickets, that made the chase difficult from the start. But the way Capsey and I put together a partnership, we were up with where the South Africans were in there innings but we obviously needed to do it for a lot longer."

'This is up there with the best of my career'

Player of the Match, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt: "It stills feels a bit unreal. This is something you dream about as a kid, getting a century in a World Cup. Very special day and so glad we won in the end.

"We knew the start would be crucial. Tazmin Brits and I have been strong at the top of the order and that feeds into the rest of the order. We knew it was a decent wicket and it was great we got to a big score on a flat pitch.

"I went with the momentum. I know I have the shots in me but I wanted to get to the 40th over to make way for the other girls to whack it. I was happy to get a few leg-side boundaries - I could have gone for that earlier!

"This has to be at the top of my career. To win this against such strong bowling side, this is right up there."

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