The English Team versus South Africa – Women’s Global Tournament Begins
Ssshhhhhhhhh! All discussions have ended, at least for the moment, while the World Cup journey for England is about to begin. On the downside, they start with a tough game against South Africa. On the upside, they open with a stern test opposing the Proteas. A win in this match could provide immediate impetus for England and validate the measured self-belief from their pre-competition talk.
Pre-Tournament Momentum
An excellent win against the Australians in their last warm-up has boosted that self-assurance, although the personal contributions by Alice Capsey (scoring 88 not out) alongside Sarah Glenn (claiming 5/32) gave Charlotte Edwards a slight selection headache.
Edwards is a serial winner, thus there is no risk of the team having modest ambitions. Yet, externally they occupy a rare spot with a well-defined expectation for the event.
Tournament Expectations
Failure to reach the semi-finals might come as a small upset, even allowing for the progress made by usual lower-ranked teams. Reaching the final before Australia or India, the two clear favourites to win the competition, would mark a significant accomplishment. If the English side triumphs… we shouldn’t speculate further. It’s far too soon for those kinds of predictions.
The game today starts at 10:30 AM British Summer Time.
