Three-time semi-finalists SA missed out on a maiden final again but captain Suné Luus said her team had a “great World Cup”.

England beat the Proteas by 137 runs yesterday to set up a Women’s World Cup final against heavyweights Australia.

“I don’t think we had our best fielding performance [today],” she said. “I just think we needed to be clinical and we weren’t.”

Danni Wyatt, dropped five times, punished SA with 129 off 125 balls to help England build an imposing 293/8 at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.

Luus had won the toss and elected to field.

The Proteas’s run-chase got of to the worst possible start when the tournament’s leading run-scorer, Laura Wolvaardt, was out for a duck after facing just two balls. Fellow opener Lizelle Lee followed her soon after for just two runs and SA were reeling at 2/8.

Lara Goodall (28) and Sune Luus (21) tried to stabilise the innings and Mignon du Preez (30) and Marizanne Kapp (21) batted bravely. but wickets fell at regular intervals and SA’s World Cup was over after 38 overs.

Sophie Ecclestone, the world’s top-ranked spinner, celebrated a personal best 6/36 as SA collapsed to be all out for 156.

“Really pleased, that was a really complete performance from the girls today, something we’ve been searching for,” England captain Heather Knight said. “I think we’ll go in as underdogs [against Australia] for sure but we’re all equal at the start of the game.”

Having started the tournament with three straight defeats, England have rebounded with five wins.

Thursday's victory was their most complete performance of the tournament, with Sophia Dunkley chipping in 60 in a 116-run partnership with Wyatt for the fifth wicket.

The English may need to lift their game again, however, to beat undefeated Australia at the same venue on Sunday.

Meg Lanning’s side thrashed the West Indies in the other semifinal and have a chip on their shoulder after being knocked out of the 2017 semifinals.

Australia are unlikely to reproduce SA’s ragged fielding display, which saw Wyatt dropped on 22, 36, 77, 116 and 117 before she was finally caught by a scrambling Lee after hitting Masabata Klaas.

The final takes place in Christchurch on Sunday at 3am SA time.