The table was set for South Africa to win its first ever Cricket World Cup trophy in February last year, nogal right here innie Kaap.
Laura Wolvaardt and her Proteas Women teammates carried the hope of a nation on their shoulders onto the turf at Newlands.
Standing in their way were the old foe – Australia, who, true to form, pooped the party for South Africa by beating the hosts by 19 runs to leave Mzansi high and dry once again.
With the men’s team falling to India at the final hurdle in the T20 World Cup earlier this year, the race to “bring it home” to SA is still on.
And once again, Australia are standing in the way of SA when they square off in the semifinals of the Women’s T20 World Cup today at the Dubai International Stadium at 4pm.
Wolvaardt, though, says they won’t have a hangover from that final.
In fact, she says they are confident heading into today’s match, explaining: “It’s obviously a massive game for us and we have a little bit of deja vu, just a year ago we played them in the final.
“A lot has happened since then though, we have the two wins against them earlier this year and obviously that gives a positive energy in the camp, knowing that if we play our best cricket they are beatable.”
While SA finished second to West Indies – thanks in large to the tournament’s leading runs-scorer Tazmin Brits (155), Wolvaardt (148) and Nonkululeko Mlaba with the second-most wickets (9) – in Group B, Australia won Group A.
Their big threats are bowlers Megan Schutt (8 wickets), Annabel Sutherland and Sophie Molineux (both 7), while Ellyse Perry (101) has scored the most runs.
The Windies will face New Zealand in the other semifinal tomorrow.