The English Team v The South African Squad – Women’s World Cup Begins
Ssshhhhhhhhh! The talking is over, for now at least, and the World Cup journey for England is set to start. On the downside, they face a challenging match against South Africa. The good news is, they kick off with a demanding fixture opposing the Proteas. Success today might boost England's confidence right away and legitimise the measured self-belief in their build-up discussions.
Pre-Tournament Momentum
An impressive triumph over Australia in their previous practice game has increased that confidence, even if the personal contributions by Alice Capsey (scoring 88 not out) alongside Sarah Glenn (claiming 5/32) presented Charlotte Edwards with a minor dilemma.
Edwards has a winning mentality, thus there is no risk of the team having modest ambitions. However, looking broadly they occupy a rare spot where their tournament benchmark is quite obvious.
Competition Outlook
Failure to reach the semi-finals might come as a small upset, despite the progress made by usual lower-ranked teams. Reaching the final before Australia or India, the two top contenders to claim the title, would be a serious achievement. And if England win it… we shouldn’t speculate further. It’s way too early for those kinds of predictions.
Today’s match begins at 10:30 AM British Summer Time.
