Everyone is always looking for a narrative, New Zealand couldn’t have provided a better one: from ten losses in a row to World Champions, slipping under the radar, holding their nerve when England and Australia lost theirs, to win the tournament.

A brilliant team performance, from the grandmas to the fresh-faced twenty-somethings. A cracking end to a memorable tournament, played in front of 21,000 spectators, and the perfect topping to an amazing day for New Zealand cricket.

And that’s it from us – Raf’s report will be here shortly. The third and final Test starts tomorrow in the small hours. Thanks for all your messages – good bye!

South Africa collect their medallions. Laura Wolvaardt: “We had a really good semi-final, the focus was to reset, but we didn’t nail our cricket today.

“They really came at us hard in the power play, at first we thought we could ride the wave, but they just kept on going. At the half way stage we were still backing ourselves though.”

“I though it was game on, but overs 7-11 was not our best phase but they bowled really well. I’m very excited for the future, very experience players like Marizanne Kapp but we’ll keep building, go back to the drawing board.”

She thanks the management, who don’t always get mentioned. And all the family who flew out.

I love this from Nasser. “Some of those catches Suzie Bates has taken, the joy on her face, that you can still have that hunger and passion for the game – it is like a virus that spreads through the game.”

Ah! A figure at last – 21,000 people were in the stadium today, though most of them have drifted back through the turnstiles before the presentation ceremony.

Georgia Plimmer on Suzie Bates: “Shes been incredible not just for New Zealand cricket but the world game, she’s an exceptional human being and I’m so unbelievably lucky to have played alongside her.”

An all time great is now a world champion: Susie Bates “I’m in shock really. This tournament little things have gone our way. Whatever happened today I was really proud of the group and to think we’ve won the thing is unbelievable. We just wanted to take the game on, we wanted to play with freedom, Georgia was incredible for such a young kid.”

Re Devine. “This means everything for us, we’ve played team sport for so long. WEepulled our way back to the top. She’s been so outstanding leading this team, I think we’ll probably have a cuddle for even longer later. There have been some dark times, we questioned ourselves as leaders.”

A delighted Gaze: “It hasn’t sunk in. I heard the snick (from Bosch) really clearly . We’ve got so much belief, we came into the tournament not on the best streak but we’ve done it. This is for them [the older players], hopefully we’ve made them proud. “

Devine hugs every member of her crew, before wiping away her own tears with the elbow of her sleeve. The other side of the mirror, subdued embraces from South Africa. A grim-faced Wolvaardt leads her team out to shake hands – their second runner’s-up prize in a T20 final in succession.

19th over: South Africa 121-9 (Mlaba 2, Khaka 1) Just the formalities to go. 38 needed off six balls

18th over: South Africa 117-7 (Tryon 14, Jafta 5) Kerr is bowled out – three wickets to go with her 43 runs – player of the match for sure, player of the tournament too? 42 needed in 12 balls

17th over: South Africa 107-6 (Tryon 13, Dercksen 8) Glum faces from South Africa. Dercksen , bright green boots, hauls the ball down the ground. Some cracking fielding by Green stops the boundary, though leaves her sprawled over the rope. 52 needed from 18 balls

16th over: South Africa 100-6 (Tryon 12, Dercksen 2) Halliday the hidden assassin – she so befuddles South Africa with her allsorts, that they can’t get a handle on her. 59 needed in 24 balls

15th over: South Africa 96-5 (Tryon 11, Luus 8) Tryon goes straight and big and bold and sends Tahuhu for four. Another big shot but can’t find the rope. A healthy ten from the over but the RR has crept up to more than 12.

13th over: South Africa 81-5 (Tryon 1, Luus 3) Luus and Tryon are energetic in their dibbing and dabbing – but South Africa need more than that now.

Simon McMahon: “Think South Africa have two chances now, Tanya. Slim, and none, and slim just left town…”

11th over: South Africa 70-3 (Kapp 3, de Klerk 4) The two new batters farm Jonas nicely for six runs, but the run rate is now over nine an over.

9th over: South Africa 59-1 (Wolvaardt 33, Bosch 5) In terms of runs scored at this point in the game, the teams are neck and neck. Bosch ignores a bouncer from Tahuhu, looks at the umpire for the signal, but it doesn’t come. Just one from the over- aggressive, accurate stuff from Tahuhu.

8th over: South Africa 58-1 (Wolvaardt 32, Bosch 5) And here is Kerr, who must have recovered enough to bowl. South AFrica don’t try anything too fancy, just milk her for six. A loud lbw appeal agains tBosch, but the umpire says no and would have been umpire’s call.

7th over: South Africa 52-1 (Wolvaardt 30, Bosch 1) Jonas, who starts the over with a couple of dots, with the vital breakthrough – though no time for celebrating yet as the wicket only brings in Bosch.

”As you correctly pointed out this is the first time none of the big three are present for the final, leaving the aspiring big teams a chance for glory.” taps Jeremy Boyce. “Don’t forget Windies in all this, who did a job on England. There’s only room for two in a final though, obviously....” Yes, they were really impressive I thought against New Zealand, particularly in the field. New Zealand – so far – have upped their game in the field since that semi-final.

6th over: South Africa 47-0 (Wolvaardt 29, Brits 15) Fireworks are sprayed into the air as Wolvaardt stands and drives – with the power of the mountain – to the mid-on boundary, nearly decapitating her partner at the same time. Win predictor still hedging its bets: 50/50. Now Brits gets in on the act, taking a huge stride and lifting an over pitched ball from Mair for four.

4th over: South Africa 37-0 (Wolvaardt 24, Brits 10) Excellent from Carson, who pulls the initiative back – conceding just three singles from her second over.

3rd over: South Africa 34-0 (Wolvaardt 23, Brits 8) Wolvaardt is the leading scorer in this tournament, with more fours than anyone – and here is another as she picks Tahuhu off her boots and sends her lfying for four. And another! Slammed over deep mid wicket Tahuhu regains control with a final dot ball.

3rd over: South Africa 24-0 (Wolvaardt 14, Brits 7) Jonas with her slingshot action. She drags one down, just spitting distance from the bowling crease, and Wolvaardt tucks in with a flamed backfoot drive. New Zealand struggling to grip the ball in the humidity.

2nd over: South Africa 14-0 (Wolvaardt 7, Brits 4) It’s baby-faced Carson at the other end, who has been so effective this tournament. Starts with two dots but Wolvaardt tucks into the fourth, swivels and punchily pulls her down for four. Amelia Kerr is back on the field but is visibly uncomfortable with cramp and is given another rehydration drink on the rope.

Tea turned to coffee in the kitchen. The players are already out, the chase nearly on.

Hello Guy Hornsby! “Well that’s a brilliant innings from New Zealand, Tanya. They seemed to time the reverse bell-curve perfectly with that big start, then accumulating in the middle and really taking down multiple bowlers at the end. 150 felt a great total, so I’m willing to say this feels 10 over par to get. Kerr and Halliday really timed they’re acceleration well and they took surprisingly lot of runs off Khaka. This should be fascinating, because while South Africa have the firepower, NZ have a strong spin attack. Game very much on!”

I fancy it is too many as well – but South Africa have pulled more than a few surprises in recent years… and Wolvaardt and Brits have runs in their souls.

Time to grab a very quick cup of tea. Advantage New Zealand I think. Hello there Tim Hare!

”Following your coverage from Brittany. What an amazing weekend for NZ- America’s Cup, Test win in India, Silver Ferns hosing the Aussies in Wellington and now going very well in the T20 final. Got to love a country that punches so far above its weight in so many sports.”

Agreed. This one of many things to love New Zealand for.

19th over: New Zealand 142-5 ( Green 1, Gaze 1) Eleven from the penultimate over -but the big prize in Kerr gone.

18th over: New Zealand 131-34(Kerr 33, Green 1) Can New Zealand keep the momentum now Halliday is gone. Can Kerr pick up the pace?

“Hi Tanya.” Hello there Simon McMahon.

Was good to see Alistair Cook and Neetu David, both newly inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, carrying the trophy before the start. Hoping for a close, exciting game, either of these sides would be worthy champions…”

Ah, that’s why he’s there! And agreed – here’s to a thriller.

17th over: New Zealand 125-3 (Kerr 31, Halliday 36) Kapp is back, but starts with a no ball – uncharacteristically undisciplined. There have been a few extras in this innings. Kapp nearly has Halliday with a low full toss that evades her bat but skips (inexplicably) past the stumps. Kapp finishes with 0-25 from her four overs.

16th over: New Zealand 117-3 (Kerr 29, Halliday 31) A drop! Not easy, as Kerr slams the ball straight back to the bowler and Khaka instinctively reaches for it but can’t hold on. To add to their woes, South Africa are four minutes behind the clock.

15th over: New Zealand 110-3 (Kerr 23, Halliday 26) New Zealand suddenly mounted and charging. Halliday neatly dismisses a slightly frazzled looking de Klerk past point for four. A back foot no ball then brings a free hit – which Kerr makes the most of: up and over mid off for four more. Click clack.

14th over: New Zealand 97-3 (Kerr 20, Halliday 21) A first boundary since the sixth over! Halliday the woman – who follows up her haul over deep square leg with another next ball, this time to long-on – fluffed on the rope by de Klerk.

13th over: New Zealand 85-3 (Kerr 19, Halliday 10) Mlaba returns. The outfield is not fast, the ball sticking like glue as Halliday cuts to the rope and the fielders are able to chase it down. The crowd is filling up.

12th over: New Zealand 79-3 (Kerr 17, Halliday 6) New Zealand staying busy, running well between the wickets, rotatig the strike, being bold, Halliday top-edges a switch hit. Five from Luus’s over.

11th over: New Zealand 74-3 (Kerr 15, Halliday 3) No boundaries since the power play for New Zealand and lots of pressure now on Kerr. On comms they suggest her strengths lie in massaging the bowling – leaving the big hitters to strike the rope.

10th over: New Zealand 70-2 (Kerr 14, Devine 6) New Zealand not finding it easy to get stuck into Tryon’s slow left arm. But they keep plugging away and rinse eight from the over. At the half way point in this innings they pause for DRINKS, ice packs and a change of gloves.

9th over: New Zealand 62-2 (Kerr 12, Devine 1) Kapp is brought back, determination oozing from every pore. A rare onfield smile as the ball fails to come out of her hand in delivery. She dries her hand on a cloth. I think it must be very humid out there – we’ve already seen the batters pause for drinks breaks.

8th over: New Zealand 57-2 (Kerr 10, Devine 0) What can Devine and Kerr do from here? Three handy wides from the over.

7th over: New Zealand 50-1 (Bates 25, Kerr 8) The cameras aren’t quite making it clear how full, or otherwise the ground it. Lots of noise anyway. New Zealand farm seven from the over.

6th over: New Zealand 43-1 (Bates 25, Kerr 8) A double change as Mlaba replaces Khaka. A striking figure, her short hair dyed blond – a neat nose ring. A leading edge from Bates drops just short of point But Bates makes the most of a leg-side offering, kneeling and shovelling four. End of the power play – with this the most runs conceded by South Africa in the power play this tournament.

5th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Bates 18, Kerr 8) A bowling change, as Tryon replaces Kapp. Wolvaardt, who looks permanently worried, bites her lip. Some running-between-the-wickets confusion for the first time, but South Africa can’t capitalise as Kapp fumbles slightly in her pick up. Excellent over.

4th over: New Zealand 34-1 (Bates 17, Kerr 7) Khaka keeps it tight, New Zealand farming ones and twos, till the last ball when Bates pulls past the diving mid off to the rope. Alastair Cook is here, watching with his young family.

3rd over: New Zealand 24-1 (Bates 10, Kerr 4) New Zealand’s aggressive intent continues, though with less to show from it. A no ball from Kapp – but no sweeties as Kerr is bowled from the free hit.

2nd over: New Zealand 20-1 (Bates 7, Kerr 4) Bates get in on the act, swiping Khaka to the midwicket boundary. Plimmer falls –good strong catch from Luus 0 but Kerr comes in and immediately is on the attack too, pulling four from her first ball. This is A PLAN.

1st over: New Zealand 9-0 (Bates 1, Plimmer 8): My my! Young Plimmer has the bit between her teeth – aggressive from the first ball, a boundary from the fourth as Plimmer hauls Kapp to the rope., four more as she lays into a shorter ball, swivels and pulls with gumption.

The players are out, Marizanne Kapp has ball in hand, here we go!

This is Devine’s last match as New Zealand’s T20 captain, and Suzie Bates today overtakes Mithali Raj to become the most capped player in women’s international cricket.

Here come the umpires, here come the teams for the anthems, hand in hand with the children mascots. The Kiwis are in fine voice tonight and Sophie Devine grins wolfishly at the end.

Now South Africa’s turn, hands across their chests, with the best anthem in cricket.

“It feels to me like a chasing ground,” says Nasser. It’s growing dark, it’s over 30 degrees and the seats are filling up…

Ninety-seven chances have gone down in this competition. Why. Why???? Mel Jones has been asking. “Some people say it is about the lights, some about the pressure. I think we have to go back to basics over the next four year cycle in catching and fielding.”

New Zealand wanted to bat anyway – and they too keep the same side from the semi-final. Sophie Devine says that she has exchanged messages with the men’s team over in India, who just won for the first time in India for over 36 years.

And this is a super read on where South Africa and New Zealand sit (as well as the now knocked out West Indies.)

I love this from Suzie Bates:

“We’re the grandmas of this team, still standing. Leah [Tahuhu] with her bionic knees, Sophie having dealt with a lot of stuff as captain, and me keeping on going - it’s really a special moment. There have been tough times, we have been through ups and downs, but that we have made the final is special. We look after each other.”