Symcox, batting at number eight, smashed four sixes in an innings of 51 from 39 balls to lift South Africa from 172 for six in the 40th over to 244 for seven at the end of their quota of 50 overs.

But, England needing to score 198 to enter the final, knocked off 230 with Nick Knight (74) and Graeme Hick (64) finding form. England meet Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's on Thursday.

SCOREBOARD
South Africa: Gary Kirsten c Stewart b Gough 7, Mike Rindel lbw Gough 10, Darryl Cullinan b Gough 70, Jonty Rhodes c Stewart b Mullally 15, Hansie Cronje lbw Croft 31, Jacques Kallis b Austin 19, Shaun Pollock not out 22, Pat Symcox b Mullally 51, Mark Boucher not out 3. Extras (lb 9, w 5, nb 2): 16. Total (for seven wickets, in 50 overs): 244Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-25, 3-73, 4-140,5-160, 6-172, 7-241Bowling: Gough 10-1-43-3 (w 2), Martin 9-0-47-0 (nb 2), Austin 10-0-41-1, Mullally 9-0-33-2 (w 3), Hollioake 2-0-22-0, Croft 10-0-49-1England: N Knight b Symcox 74, A Brown run out (Rhodes) 0, A Stewart c Rhodes b Pollock 27, G Hick c Symcox b Cronje 64, N Hussain c and b Cronje 1, A Hollioake b Symcox 10, R Croft c Rhodes b Rindel 8, I Austin b Donald 10, D Gough lbw Pollock 15, P Martin c Cronje b Donald 1, A Mullally not out 1. Extras (b-7, w-11, nb-1): 19. Total (all out, 48.5 overs) 230.Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-48, 3-161, 4-170, 5-186, 6-193, 7-208, 8-213, 9-217.Bowling: Donald 9-1-41-2, Pollock 8.5-0-36-2, Kallis 4-0-24-0, Hayward 4-0-35-0, Symcox 10-0-36-2, Cronje 10-0-43-2, Rindel 3-0-8-1