The puzzle pieces all fell into place at the perfect time for England to cap a remarkable World Cup turnaround with an emphatic semi-final victory over South Africa that earned them the right to defend their title against Australia on Sunday.

From Danni Wyatt’s first World Cup century that must surely have cemented her place at the top of the order, to a maiden international five-wicket haul for Sophie Ecclestone, and Sophia Dunkley‘s second consecutive fifty, England have left themselves with “one last push” to overturn a chastening Ashes defeat against their old foes.

England’s chances of reaching the semi-finals, let alone the final, seemed remote after they began their campaign with three straight defeats. But their fifth victory in a row, built on Wyatt’s career-best 129 off just 125 balls and sealed by Ecclestone’s tournament-best 6 for 36 were key parts of the complete performance captain Heather Knight had been seeking.

Likewise, Wyatt’s place as opener was far from decided at the start of the tournament. She played the first two matches, against Australia and West Indies, at No. 6 and was only elevated for the group-stage match against South Africa when England dispensed with the out-of-form Lauren Winfield-Hill.

Before her unbeaten 76 against Pakistan, also at Hagley Oval a week ago – her first half-century at a World Cup in 17 innings – Wyatt’s best score of the tournament was 33 against West Indies.

Wyatt played seven matches as opener at the 2013 World Cup, including England’s third-place play-off victory. She then had four innings in the middle order at the 2017 edition but didn’t play in the knockout stages.

She played two ODIs on England’s tour of New Zealand a year ago but was then dropped for the 50-over leg of their home series with India, returning to the ODI set-up when England hosted the White Ferns in September.