England against The South African Squad – Women’s Global Tournament Starts
Ssshhhhhhhhh! The pre-match talk has concluded, for the time being, and England’s World Cup is ready to commence. On the downside, they start with a tough game with South Africa as their first rival. On the upside, they open with a stern test opposing the Proteas. Success today would give England instant momentum and justify the cautious confidence from their pre-competition talk.
Pre-Competition Confidence
An excellent win versus the Aussies in their previous practice game has boosted that self-assurance, even if the standout displays from Alice Capsey (remaining unbeaten on 88) and Sarah Glenn (taking 5 wickets for 32 runs) presented Charlotte Edwards with a minor dilemma.
Edwards is known for her success, meaning there is little chance of England setting their sights low. But from a distance they are in the slightly unusual position where their tournament benchmark is quite obvious.
Tournament Expectations
Failure to reach the semi-finals might come as a small upset, even considering the progress made by usual lower-ranked teams. Advancing to the ultimate game in front of the Aussies or Indians, the two clear favourites to win the competition, would mark a significant accomplishment. And if England win it… no, let’s not go there. It’s way too early for that sort of talk.
Today’s match begins at 10.30am BST.
