Joe Root declared he wants to keep the England Test captaincy but acknowledged the decision is not entirely in his hands after another series defeat.

Root believes team-mates remain firmly supportive of his leadership, despite a disappointing loss against West Indies.

Draws in Antigua and Barbados teed up a winner-takes-all decider in Grenada, but Root's tourists were always behind after falling to 90-8 on the first day.

Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood proved unlikely heroes to drag England to 204 all out in the first innings, though a sorry bowling performance allowed West Indies, inspired by Joshua da Silva's maiden Test ton, to scramble to 297 - a lead of 93.

Further batting struggles saw the visitors skittled for just 120 second time around, leaving Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell to chase down a target of 28 in just 29 balls on Sunday, sealing a 10-wicket win.

"I've made it quite clear at the start of this game and throughout this tour that I'm very passionate about trying to take this team forward," Root said.

"I will control all that I can. I don't think it's ever in your hands completely. I feel like the group are very much behind me. We're doing a lot of really good things; we just need to turn that into results now."

England are without a win in five Test series, stretching back to a triumph over Sri Lanka at the start of last year. They are also without a win in their last nine Tests, losing six of those, which is their longest winless streak in the format since a run of 10 between August 2013 and July 2014.

Root told BT Sport he felt a sense of "frustration", adding: "Throughout this series we've played some really good cricket, and we've shown what we're capable of as a group.

"We've grown over the first two games as a batting group, and we've shown big strides in that department, and shown what we are capable of. Yesterday really let us down, it's really hurt us, and it's an important day within the series.

"We just didn't stand up to it well enough, and unfortunately you find us in this position where we've ended up losing the series after we played so much brilliant cricket."

The England skipper added: "I thought the attitude throughout the whole thing has been brilliant – in that respect we've definitely made big improvements. That has to continue.

"There are so many good things we can take away from this. Of course, we came here to win, and we've not, and that's frustrating, that's disappointing. But if we're going to keep learning and keep growing as a team, and if we're going to start winning, then we've got to keep that approach."

Interim head coach Paul Collingwood, who replaced Chris Silverwood in the wake of a 4-0 Ashes thrashing, said he had observed total support for Root among England's players.

He said: "The one thing you do notice in that dressing room is that the team is together, they're right behind Joe.

"You can see all the players, all the management, and you can see Joe himself, he's got the determination to still take this team forward and get results.

"The leadership doesn't affect his batting. He's still going out there and scoring the runs and he's still desperate to turn things around and desperate to make this team the best they can be."

Regarding his own uncertain future with England, as the search continues for a permanent coach, Collingwood added: "If I was to be given the job, or they decide they want to give me the job, then I would certainly take it. I've enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to."

England suffered a crushing 10-wicket loss to West Indies in the third Test in Grenada to lose the series 1-0 as pressure was ramped up on captain Joe Root.

The tourists were reduced to 103-8 at stumps on Saturday and were all out for 120 after losing the remaining wickets of Chris Woakes (19) and Jack Leach (4) inside an hour on Sunday.

Set a target of 28 runs to win at the Grenada National Stadium, Kraigg Brathwaite (20 not out) and John Campbell (6no) got West Indies over the line in just 4.5 overs.

Speaking on Saturday, former England captain Michael Vaughan had speculated this could be Root's final match as skipper, and another punishing loss follows a crushing Ashes series defeat.

England were looking to restore some pride if nothing else when play resumed, but any hope they had of building up a triple-figure lead after their second innings soon faded.

Having survived a review after appearing to be caught at short leg off bat and thigh pad, Woakes tried to turn the ball around the corner but Jason Holder made a superb grab.

That came off Kemar Roach's first ball, and the same bowler also brought an end to Leach's resistance shortly after, the left-handed batsman being caught behind by Joshua Da Silva.

It was then left to Braithwaite and Campbell to keep the scoring ticking over, which they did with ease to spark joyful celebrations in the home ranks.

Mayers masterstroke

Plenty of focus will be on England after this humbling loss, but credit must go to West Indies for what was an impressive showing across a third Test that lasted barely four days.

The selection of Kyle Mayers was key, the 29-year-old taking seven wickets in Grenada, having achieved an innings best of 3-24 across 10 previous Tests.

Root-and-branch reform awaits

England are now without a win in their last nine Tests, losing six of those, which is their longest winless streak in the format since a run of 10 between August 2013 and July 2014.

The inquest into why this has happened can now be stepped up, and come the end of it there may well be a change of leadership should Root walk – or indeed be pushed.

England bowler Mark Wood has undergone surgery on his elbow after being previously ruled out for the remainder of their tour of the West Indies.

The Durham paceman suffered the injury during the opening Test in Antigua and has now undergone a procedure to help correct the problem.

There is no set return date for the 32-year-old, who has often proven to be one of England's more reliable performers amid a dismal year for Joe Root's side.

An official ECB statement read: "England and Durham fast bowler Mark Wood had surgery yesterday in London to address the right elbow injury sustained during the first Test against West Indies in Antigua earlier this month.

"The surgery removed bone and scar tissue to address an impingement problem that was causing pain in his elbow when bowling.

"He will now commence rehabilitation with the ECB and Durham. A date for his return to play will be established in due course."

The West Indies Women are in the semi-finals of the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup after Lady Luck worked in their favour on Saturday night.

The West Indies Women, on seven points from their seven games, following no-result against South Africa on Wednesday, March 23, needed either Bangladesh to defeat England or South Africa to defeat India for them to advance.

England crushed Bangladesh by 100 runs earlier Saturday, which meant that the West Indies Women were dependent on a positive result from the South Africa versus India encounter.

The situation looked grim when India posted 274-7 in their 50 overs thanks to half centuries of 71 from Smriti Mandhana, 53 from Shafali Verma, 68 from Captain Mithali Raj as well as Harmanpreet Kaur's 48.

However, Laura Woolvardt smashed 80, Laura Goodall scored 49 and Mignon du Preez an unbeaten 52 as South Africa scored 275-7, the winning run coming off the last ball of the match.

The South African victory set off wild celebrations among the West Indies Women, whose members had gathered to watch the match.

They will now face unbeaten Australia in the semi-final on Tuesday.

Kyle Mayers says he found inspiration in teammate Joshua da Silva, claiming a maiden five-wicket haul for West Indies against England in the third Test on Saturday.

Da Silva's maiden Test century to give the hosts a first innings lead of 93 was then backed up by Mayers, who produced an astonishing 5-9 on day three, as England collapsed to 8-103 by the close of play.

The 29-year-old, who only made his Test debut in February 2021, believes he and the Windies team were spurred on by Da Silva's efforts.

"I think it was very special for me," he told BT Sport. "Seeing Josh perform this morning inspired me. The team always wanted this victory so we decided we were going to give it our all in this innings and it just worked out."

Mayers rattled through the English top order, claiming the wickets of opener Alex Lees, as well as captain Joe Root, before Dan Lawrence and Ben Stokes.

The medium-pacer said the key to success on an evolving wicket was simple.

"Making the batsmen play as much as possible," Mayers said. "The pitch had varying bounce and pace so straighter deliveries were working for me."

Da Silva's first Test ton – with his good friend Jayden Seales providing fight at the crease from the tail end – was transformative according to Mayers.

"I think it was very special," he said. "He couldn't have done it more special than today actually getting it with his best friend. When you see Josh, you see Jayden.

"We saw that Jayden played a special part in that. It was beautiful, it was really emotional for me as well. You saw him crying, it was very, very good for him."

England were facing a crushing defeat in the decisive third Test against West Indies as Joshua Da Silva and Kyle Mayers made day three thoroughly miserable for Joe Root and the tourists.

Da Silva reached a first Test century and Mayers took 5-9 in 13 overs in a career-best bowling performance, with West Indies capitalising on a first-innings lead of 93 runs by reducing England to 103-8 at stumps.

Leading by 10 runs with just two second-innings wickets standing, the last sliver of hope for England was that they converted 90-8 in their first innings to 204 all out, but this time around they looked floored.

The England tail must wag spectacularly on Sunday at the Grenada National Stadium for this to become a contest again, with signs pointing to West Indies landing the series win after the first two Tests ended in draws.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan speculated this could prove to be Root's final match as captain, with the team, crushed in the Ashes before this series, looking increasingly rudderless.

West Indies had a strong morning as Da Silva went from 54 not out to finish unbeaten on 100, sharing in a 52-run partnership for the 10th wicket with Jayden Seales, who managed a gritty 13 and saw off 58 deliveries before Root removed him, caught and bowled.

From 232-8 at the start of play, having been 128-7 at one point on Friday, West Indies amassed 297 and England's jaws were already on the floor.

It got no better for the tourists after lunch as they plummeted to 39-4, still 54 short of making West Indies bat again. Zak Crawley flashed a catch to Jason Holder to give Seales an early wicket, before Mayers removed Root for the second time in the match.

Reaching for the ball outside off stump, Root got a hefty edge and gave John Campbell a comfortable take at first slip. After a duck in the first innings, to fall for five this time was a grim blow.

Mayers went on to bowl Dan Lawrence for a duck and prise out Ben Stokes for four. Opener Alex Lees had avoided being part of the early churn, obdurately defying the home attack in a go-slow innings, and began to lead a recovery alongside Jonny Bairstow. They put on 41 for the fifth wicket before Bairstow got a thin edge to give Alzarri Joseph a wicket.

Ben Foakes fell to a lamentable run out at the end of the same over, and Lees, who faced 132 balls, perished for 31 when Mayers tore out the left-hander's off stump. Mayers had his fifth wicket when Craig Overton edged to Holder, who juggled at third slip before clinging on. West Indies could not quite get over the line before the close, but victory is in sight.

Vaughan senses end of Root era

Taking into account all Tests where he has batted twice, this was Root's worst performance with the bat since making one and a duck against New Zealand in 2015 at Headingley. He has been terrific with the bat for England in recent times, but even he fell flat in this game.

Vaughan said on BT Sport: "I just feel that this could be his last Test match as captain. I can see in his face, I've been in that position. When it goes, and he's been captain for such a long period of time, it might be starting to come to an end for him."

Marvellous Mayers tortures tourists

Mayers, who in 10 previous Tests had achieved innings-best figures of 3-24, found himself with figures of 5-9 here, with England finding his medium-fast pace surprisingly too hot to handle. 

Chris Woakes, Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood delivered with the bat in England's first innings, scoring 115 runs between them, and they are the three batters remaining this time. Yet snowfall in Grenada on Sunday seems about as likely as another England rescue act. This team looks ready for home.

Joe Root should be asked again if he truly wants to stay on as England captain, according to former skipper Michael Vaughan.

As England toiled in the early stages of day three of the third Test against West Indies, Vaughan said England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chiefs should sit down with Root after the series in the Caribbean.

The ECB is advertising for an England men's team managing director, but Vaughan says a priority should be the captaincy.

England's bowlers struggled to make inroads in the latter stages of West Indies' innings on Saturday, allowing Joshua Da Silva to reach a maiden Test century and the hosts to open a 93-run first-innings lead.

Vaughan questioned the vitality of the England players, a number of whom are still carrying scars from the team's 4-0 Ashes drubbing.

Interim managing director Andrew Strauss said after England's Ashes calamity that Root was "absolutely clear" he wanted to keep the captaincy. However, Vaughan thinks the time has come to ask again.

"I think the biggest meeting first and foremost is to sit with Joe Root, and really look him in the eyes and say, 'Have you got the energy?'," Vaughan said on BT Sport.

"There comes that moment as England captain that the energy is not with you. You're still going out there, you're still trying your best, but you've not got the energy. If he has got the energy, then I would stick with him. But if he's lost that energy and the real drive and that desire… As a captain, you have to wake up every morning and it's got to be your love, captaining the England side.

"If you've lost that ounce of any kind of loving it, you've got to give it up. If he's lost that desire and love to captain England, just be the batter, because he'll score as many runs, and he'll still be a great leader in the side.

"I can see an England captain that looks a little bit drained."

Vaughan said of England's morning performance, as West Indies advanced from 232-8 to 297 all out: "It looked an England side, and England captain, that looked very, very tired."

He praised the home team's efforts in frustrating the tourists, but added: "I'm pretty sure there'll be a lot of England fans out there watching the telly, throwing things at the screen and thinking, 'I could do a lot better than that'.

"It was just a little bit of a lack of imagination. It concerned me a bit about the skipper this morning, I didn't think he tried enough, didn't try himself early enough."

Part-time spinner Root eventually brought himself on to bowl and took the final wicket, having Jayden Seales caught and bowled.

"As a captain in those kinds of situations, you've got to be so energised, you've got to be on your bowlers, you've got to be on your team, you've got to be creating ideas, creating angles," said Vaughan. "I didn't see enough of that this morning."

Root's difficult day got worse after lunch when he was caught at slip for five off Kyle Mayers to leave England 27-2 in their second innings.

Joshua Da Silva fended off flak about his low scoring rate to post a maiden Test century for West Indies against a flagging England in the third Test.

West Indies advanced from their overnight 232-8 to post 297 all out, having at one point on Friday been floundering at 128-7.

England's slow start to day three drew criticism from former skipper Michael Vaughan, who described the tourists as "very tired" and questioned captain Joe Root's appetite for the job.

Wicketkeeper Da Silva and last man Jayden Seales produced a 52-run partnership for the 10th wicket to improve the home team's first-innings lead in St George's to 93 runs.

Da Silva reached his century with a heave down the ground for four, before it appeared he had been dismissed from the next ball, nicking Craig Overton through to Ben Foakes.

Despite asking for a review, Da Silva wandered off, expecting the video verdict to match the umpire's decision. Yet there was no evidence of an inside edge, and a surprised Da Silva was summoned back to the middle.

To England's relief, Root had Seales caught and bowled for 13 in the next over, with no addition to the West Indies score, meaning Da Silva finished on 100 not out.

Asked about his hard-earned ton, Da Silva told BT Sport: "I think the emotions said it all: tears just came to my mind instantaneously. It means the most in the whole world."

He trusted Seales to fend off the England attack, which the number 11 accomplished for 58 deliveries before Root prised him out.

"He told me he has my back and I backed him 100 per cent," Da Silva said. "He told me he was going to get me there, and he did, and I can't thank him enough for the role he played."

Da Silva, after his 257-ball innings, added: "I got a lot of stick out there for having a low strike rate, but it didn't matter to me. When I got a chance to score, I did."

Joshua Da Silva's unbeaten half-century gave West Indies a first-innings lead, after England threatened to bowl them out cheaply on day two of the deciding Test at the Grenada National Stadium.

The Windies were reduced to 128-7 in reply to 204 all out at St George's on Friday, but they were 226-8 at stumps with Da Silva still there on 53.

Da Silva put on 49 with Alzarri Joseph (28) for the eighth wicket before combining with Kemar Roach (25no) in an unbroken stand of 55 to give his side a lead of 28.

Three quick wickets for Chris Woakes (3-48) had put the tourists on top, but they got a taste of their own medicine a day after Saqib Mahmood and Jack Leach put on 90 for the final wicket.

Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell (35) built solid foundations, but Ben Stokes (2-40) made a big breakthrough by pinning the captain leg before wicket for 17 to end an opening stand of 50.

The impressive Mahmood (1-39) trapped Shamarh Brooks in front and the Windies were 71-3 at lunch after Campbell gloved Craig Overton (2-71) through to Ben Foakes down the leg side, having been struck on the helmet twice by the paceman.

Woakes came to the fore early in the afternoon session, getting Nkrumah Bonner caught behind, Jason Holder taken by Jonny Bairstow on the hook without scoring and Jermaine Blackwood lbw to leave West Indies 95-6.

Kyle Mayers made 28 before gifting Stokes his wicket, but Da Silva and Joseph reduced the deficit before the quick nicked Overton behind backing off trying to smash him to the boundary.

Da Silva remained untroubled, playing patiently and putting away loose deliveries with great support from Roach to take West Indies in front.

Relief for Woakes 

All-rounder Woakes had only taken two wickets in as many Tests before more than doubling his tally for the series on Friday.

The seamer has found wickets hard to come by overseas, but found his rhythm after lunch, banging one in short to remove Bonner and seeing the back of Holder in the same over before making Blackwood his third victim.

Stokes deserved more than the two wickets he claimed despite an issue with his knee, while Mahmood will wonder how he only struck once.

Da Silva runs could  help Windies strike gold

Wicketkeeper-batsman Da Silva dug in with Brathwaite, as West Indies secured a drawn on the final day of the second Test in Barbados.

The 23-year-old stepped up when his side needed him again after coming in at number eight with England firmly on top, batting with great composure and technique to score a fourth Test half-century.

There was a sense of deja vu a day after Leach and Mahmood's last-wicket stand, with Joseph and Roach making important runs down the order to give the Windies a lead.

Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood rescued England with a magnificent final-wicket stand after West Indies had made a dream start to the deciding Test at the Grenada National Stadium.

The tourists were deep in the mire on 114-9 after being put in by Kraigg Brathwaite in the third and final match of the series following draws in Antigua and Barbados.

Kyle Mayers (2-13) started the procession of wickets, with England in disarray after Jayden Seales (3-40), Kemar Roach (2-41) and Alzarri Joseph (2-33) ripped through the middle order.

But Leach (41 not out) and Mahmood (49) resembled top-order batters as they put on 90 before the seamer was dismissed by Jermaine Blackwood in the last over of the day in St George's, where England were all out for 204.

Zak Crawley gifted Mayers the first wicket, driving straight to Brathwaite at cover, and the same bowler had Root caught behind without scoring before Seales trapped Dan Lawrence lbw to leave England in trouble on 46-3 at lunch.

Things went from bad to worse for England as they lost three wickets without scoring a run, with Ben Stokes caught and bowled by Joseph misjudging a pull and Jonny Bairstow out for a duck after Alex Lees (31) nicked Roach behind.

Seales produced good pace to skittle Ben Foakes and Roach made a mess of Craig Overton's stumps with a quick delivery that nipped back significantly, reducing the tourists to 90-8.

Woakes (25) looked comfortable until he was bowled through the gate by Seales, but Leach and Mahmood settled in to turn the tide in unlikely fashion.

Leach was dropped by Mayers on 10 and John Campbell slipped a chance Mahmood offered up when he had 15, with the seamer adding insult to injury by launching the next ball from Mayers for six.

The runs continued to flow despite the second new ball being taken, but part-time spinner Blackwood bowled Mahmood just before the close to provide some relief for the flagging Windies.

Mayers makes big impact on his return

All-rounder Mayers got the nod ahead of spinner Veerasammy Permaul for his first Test of the year.

He justified his recall in quick time, seeing the back of Crawley before drawing an edge from Root with a scrambled seam getting the ball to nip away from the in-form England skipper.

Seales, Roach and Joseph also ran riot in the afternoon session to put England on the ropes before the tail wagged.

Leach and Mahmood haul England off the canvas

The Windies lost their way as Leach and Mahmood batted with a combination of tenacity and skill.

This was just the second time a number 10 and 11 were the two leading scorers in a Test innings, with the first pair being Tom Garrett and Edwin Evans for Australia versus England at the SCG way back in 1885. 

Playing in only his second Test, Mahmood bettered his best first-class score of 34 and fell agonisingly short of a maiden half-century. Leach faced 141 balls in his latest rearguard act.

The West Indies Women will, with fingers crossed, be hoping South Africa will defeat India and Bangladesh upset England, in the coming days after rain forced the abandonment of their match against South Africa at Basin Reserve on Wednesday night.

Ollie Robinson has been ruled out of England's series decider against West Indies after failing to recover from a back injury.

The Sussex seamer missed out on the drawn matches in Antigua and Barbados and will play no part in Grenada as England chase a first Test win in nine attempts.

England confirmed their squad on Wednesday, a day before the third Test begins, with Craig Overton recovering from illness to replace Matthew Fisher in the only change.

Robinson was unable to prove his fitness in a net session and skipper Joe Root is hopeful his team-mate can soon put his fitness issues behind him.

"Ollie wasn't as good as we would have liked or he was expecting himself," Root said prior to the squad announcement.

"It's just frustrating for him, as it is for me. He's working very hard but there's something that's nagging away at him.

"I'm not sure exactly of the medical prognosis. He's just got to keep on doing what he's doing and trust in time that he's going to get himself back.

"We all know how effective he has been and how good he's been in his short career up to now so the sooner we can get him back the better."

Root is 116 runs short of reaching 10,000 in Test cricket, a tally only Alastair Cook has previously reached among England players.

The 31-year-old hit centuries in the opening two Tests against West Indies but could not help his side to victory, something he is looking to put right in this winner-takes-all clash.

"I really hope we can take another step forward as a team and get across the line because there's been a lot of good stuff," he told reporters.

"We've played the majority of the cricket up to now and it would be a great way to end the tour. The most pleasing thing is we've not had a nightmare session that's cost us a Test.

"We've looked at each individual session and each hour and looked to win each and every one of them."

England are unbeaten in their last three away Test matches against West Indies, having lost each of the three games prior to that run.

Their most recent meeting at St George's was in April 2015, with England claiming a nine-wicket victory.

West Indies legend, Sir Andy Roberts, has called for more aggression from the Caribbean fast bowlers ahead of the third and decisive Test against England, which bowls off in Grenada on Wednesday.

So far, bowlers have rarely managed to gain the ascendancy with the two previous pitches in Antigua and Barbados offering very little in the way of assistance.  In the previous Test, a total of 1,238 runs were scored, including a deflating 507 for 9 declared scored by England in the first innings.

If the West Indies are to break the deadlock on the back of two prior draws, Roberts believes the region’s pace bowlers must give more effort at the crease to unsettle the English batsmen.

“Aggressive doesn’t mean you have to be up in somebody’s face, but you can be aggressive in your approach, you can be aggressive in your steering because that’s one of the things I did. I never swore but when I looked at you and I see you turn away, then I say ‘yes, I have you because you can’t look me in the eye’, and that is what is required,” Roberts told the Good Morning Jojo Radio program.

“I see many West Indian fast bowlers going back to the days of Mervyn Dillion, Reon King, and when they get hit for boundaries they smile, they don’t get upset,” he added.

“The ball doesn’t come off the pitch faster than you release it, so if you’re a fast bowler then it means you’re a fast bowler, you can’t be a fast bowler and a fast-medium bowler. What is being taught today is line and length and bowl fourth and fifth stump outside the off stump, but instead of attacking the batsman, attacking the stumps, they are bowling outside of off stump, which is what they practice so sometimes it seems as though the coaches are at fault sometimes. In order to get the best out of the fast bowlers, you have to encourage them to bowl fast.”

It is all to play for at the Grenada National Stadium as West Indies and England go in search of a Test series-clinching victory.

The Windies have dug in for draws under pressure on the final day in Antigua and Barbados.

England are bottom of the World Test Championship table, with the Windies directly above them as both sides strive to transform their fortunes in the longest format.

The tourists look set to be without seamer Ollie Robinson once again as he continues to struggle with fitness issues.

England have not won a Test series in the Caribbean for 18 years, but have undoubtedly made strides during this tour as they battle for the Richards-Botham Trophy.

Yet they are still without a win in eight matches in the longest format and have been unable to show the potency to dismiss West Indies twice when in a great position to take the lead in this series.

Kraigg Brathwaite was the Windies' hero at Kensington Oval, showing incredible application and skill in both innings.

The skipper batted for 710 minutes for his 160 in the first innings and dug in for an unbeaten 56 on the last day in Bridgetown to keep the series level.

England must produce some heat on the Spice Island if they are to head home with a 1-0 victory.

Brathwaite and Root leading by example

The Windies were indebted to opener Brathwaite in Barbados as he dropped the anchor in both innings on his home ground.

By facing 673 balls combined in his two obdurate knocks, the skipper set a record for the most deliveries faced by a West Indies batter in a single Test. Brathwaite has the more runs than anyone else in this series, scoring 304 at an average of 101.33.

Prolific England captain Joe Root has also been magnificent, racking up 284 - including two centuries - at an average of 71.

Overton set to return, unchanged squad for Windies

Craig Overton was ruled out of the second Test due to illness, but is set to get another opportunity with Matt Fisher expected to step aside.

Saqib Mahmood should also be unleashed on the Windies again after an excellent opening spell on the final day in Barbados, with spinner Matt Parkinson facing the prospect of missing out again and Robinson not fit.

West Indies named an unchanged squad after frustrating the tourists once again on the final day.

West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews insists the team remains aware of the strong form of South Africa Women heading into Wednesday's crucial encounter but insists the unit can take encouragement based on recent head-to-head performances.

Finding themselves plagued with issues of inconsistency all tournament, the West Indies Women will face South Africa in a must-win encounter at Basin Reserve.  On the back of a devastating loss to previously winless Pakistan, the team currently finds itself in the last semi-final spot and must hope for other results to go their way.  The team has played one more game than England.

The South Africans have on the other hand been in solid form, with their only loss so far coming against top-ranked Australia, who are yet to lose a match.

“They’ve obviously been playing very good cricket.  The only team that has beaten them is Australia, but at the same time we have played a lot of cricket against South Africa over the last few months,” Matthews told the Mason and Guest radio program.

“We played them at home in a series last year and before coming here (World Cup) we had a pretty good series as well, unfortunately, we lost the series but if a few things had gone our way, the rain-affected it and stuff like that, it would have looked like a different result,” she added.

“We know they have some dangerous players and we know all of them really well, we know what we need to do in this match as well.  What’s going to be really important against them is getting some runs on the board.”