Story to date
Charlotte Edwards’ first ICC Ladies’s Cricket World Cup as England head coach has gone impressively to date.
Her staff has carried their momentum from their warm-up wins over India and Australia into their opening event match, bundling South Africa out for simply 69 and knocking off the runs with out dropping a wicket.
Heather Knight’s unbeaten 79 helped them survive a scare towards Bangladesh, recovering from 78 for 5 to chase down 178, whereas Sri Lanka have been additionally crushed earlier than rain got here to England’s rescue towards Pakistan following a below-par batting effort.
A century from Knight arrange an exciting, four-run win over India they usually regarded set for one more assertion success after they lowered Australia to 68 for 4 defending 244, just for Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland so as to add an unbroken 180 to hold the defending champions to a six-wicket victory.
England bounced again with an eight-wicket win over New Zealand to enter the knockout phases on a excessive.
Key second
It’s tough to look previous the tone-setting opening match towards South Africa. Having flattered to deceive in current World Cups and been whitewashed in final winter’s Ashes, the strain was on England to indicate they have been practical contenders.
They might not have requested for a greater begin than the one given to them by Linsey Smith, who dismissed Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp on her World Cup debut because the Proteas have been rolled out for 69.
Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones wanted simply 14.1 overs to finish the chase and get England off to a flyer.
High performers
Knight, again within the rank and file after dropping the captaincy post-Ashes, missed the English summer season because of harm however has excelled on her return, getting England over the road towards Bangladesh earlier than scoring a match-winning century towards India.
Amy Jones has excelled in her new function as an opener, saving her finest for the final group stage match towards New Zealand when she cracked an unbeaten 86.
Questions have been requested about England’s center order, nonetheless, with Sophia Dunkley struggling and Emma Lamb changed by Danni Wyatt-Hodge towards the White Ferns.
With the ball, spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith have shone with 12 wickets apiece. England have all the things crossed Ecclestone will likely be match for the semifinal after she bowled simply 4 balls towards New Zealand because of a shoulder harm.
Historical past towards semifinal opponent
England have the current edge over the Proteas. Not solely did they win this yr’s group stage match so comfortably, in addition they beat South Africa on the identical stage on the final ICC Ladies’s Cricket World Cup – Wyatt-Hodge scoring 129 – and have prevailed in seven of the 9 ODIs between the 2 nations because the flip of the last decade.
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