The defending champions Egypt have crashed out of the women's World Team squash championship, losing 2-1 to Malaysia in Palmerston North after New Zealand beat France in their quarter-final.
The fifth seeds beat sixth seeds France two matches to one and will play the top seeds England with Australia to play Malayasia in the other semi-final.
The Commonwealth Games star Joelle King got the home side off to a winning start but her gold medal partner Jaclyn Hawkes lost to Camille Serme before Shelley Kitchen celebrated her 31st birthday by beating Corine Aumard in the decider.
Kitchen says she had a few butterflies but was confident her opponent would have had more as she'd been in fewer deciding matches.
She says England is going to be a stiff challenge but a New Zealand win is not out of the question, based on England's surprise loss to Egypt in the final two years ago.
