Awkward pre-semi-final match for South Africa

South Africa and Ireland meet tomorrow on the 18th and final round-robin day of the CricInfo Women's World Cup in a match that has no bearing on the final standings but has significance for both teams.

South Africa are safely into the semi-finals, where they will meet Australia on Monday, and Ireland have found refuge away from the bottom spot on the strength of their win against the Netherlands on Thursday.

However, South Africa need a solid performance in this match at Hagley Oval to prepare them for Monday's match. The top qualifiers, Australia and New Zealand, dealt them heavy defeats in their last two games with Karen Rolton putting them to the sword in her magnificent record-breaking innings on Wednesday. A comprehensive defeat of Ireland would restore a foundation from which to face Rolton and friends again in the sudden-death semi-final.

Ireland, however, will not make it easy for the South Africans. This is the last opportunity the Shamrock Greens have to prove that they should have taken at least the sixth spot, which they surrendered to Sri Lanka on the seventh day of the tournament. A fine losing effort against India and what coach John Wills described as "a workman's performance" against the Netherlands in their last two matches provide them with a solid foundation from which to give their tournament an appropriate farewell.

For all the difference in their respective positions on the points table, South Africa would be unwise to take Ireland lightly.