The English Team v South Africa – Women’s World Cup Starts
Silence please! The talking is over, at least for the moment, while the World Cup journey for England is ready to commence. The bad news is, they start with a tough game versus the South African side. The good news is, they kick off with a demanding fixture opposing the Proteas. Victory today might boost England's confidence right away and justify the careful optimism from their pre-competition talk.
Pre-Tournament Momentum
An excellent win against the Australians during their final preparatory match has increased that confidence, even if the personal contributions of Alice Capsey (88 not out) and Sarah Glenn (5 for 32) gave Charlotte Edwards a slight selection headache.
Edwards is known for her success, meaning there is little chance that England will aim low. However, looking broadly they occupy a rare spot where their tournament benchmark is quite obvious.
Competition Outlook
Failure to reach the semi-finals would be a minor shocker, even allowing for the progress made by usual lower-ranked teams. Making it to the championship match in front of the Aussies or Indians, the primary frontrunners to claim the title, would represent a major feat. If the English side triumphs… no, let’s not go there. It’s much too premature for those kinds of predictions.
Today’s match begins at 10:30 AM British Summer Time.
