Beaumont is finally a World Cup smash hit

ENGLAND women made history as they beat South Africa by 68 runs in the World Cup. Tammy Beaumont (148) and Sarah Taylor (147) shared a record-breaking 275-run partnership, the highest stand for England in men’s or women’s one-day international cricket. Beaumont, who had scored just 40 runs in her three previous innings in the tournament, also became the fourth fastest Englishwoman to score 1,000 ODI runs — reached in 32 innings — as she notched her third career 50-over century. ‘It’s up there with one of my best knocks for England,’ she said. ‘It was really nice to contribute after I started a little slowly in the tournament.’ Taylor, who scored an unbeaten 78 against Sri Lanka on Sunday, reached three figures off just 80 balls here before she pummelled Shabnim Ismail for five consecutive boundaries en route to a career-best score. Proteas openers Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt both hit half-centuries in reply to England’s 373 for five. Chloe Tryon then bludgeoned 54 off just 26 balls, but a respectable 305 for nine still fell way short.