England vs South Africa: Judgement day for Nat Sciver-Brunt’s aspect with Ladies’s World Cup ultimate spot in sight

When England face South Africa in Wednesday’s Cricket World Cup semi-final in Guwahati, batting collapses could also be on the again – or entrance – of each side’ minds.

It was on the similar venue on October 3 the place South Africa have been skittled for simply 69 by England en path to a 10-wicket defeat to start out the event.

And for England it’s the similar opposition they capitulated spectacularly towards of their earlier international semi-final, on the 2023 T20 World Cup.

Two years in the past, then underneath the captaincy of Heather Knight and coached by Jon Lewis, England required 33 runs from 23 balls with seven wickets in hand to make the T20 ultimate.

However when Nat Sciver-Brunt clothed Nadine de Klerk to long-on, England folded, ending up on 158-8 in a chase of 165, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

That lack of ability to manage underneath strain was seen within the following T20 World Cup as properly, with a glut of dropped catches resulting in a harrowing loss to West Indies and a group-stage exit.

These flaws have been witnessed once more throughout final winter’s Ashes sequence in Australia as England tumbled to a 16-0 defeat on factors throughout the codecs. That proved the final straw for the decision-makers.

Out went Knight as captain – though she stays a key participant – and Lewis as coach.

Beneath new skipper Sciver-Brunt and coach Charlotte Edwards there’s a metal to this England aspect, proven through the World Cup league section once they rallied from a batting wobble to beat Bangladesh after which fought again with the ball to pip India.

Sciver-Brunt urges England to ‘belief their strategies’

Now, although, is England’s judgement day as we discover out whether or not they can win a primary knockout match since their semi-final victory over South Africa within the 2022 50-over World Cup.

Has a nook been turned or will outdated failings creep in?

Sciver-Brunt stated: “To be in a knockout stage of a World Cup this early on in our tenure is really special and we are taking that extra pressure as a privilege.

“Hopefully we are able to instil in everybody to belief our strategies, belief every part we have been doing is right, and that placing that out on the pitch will likely be ok.

“In bigger games the hardest thing to do is to treat it like any other game but hopefully everyone can feel really confident in their skills.

“There’s totally different personnel that have not been in knockout levels however there’s some very skilled individuals who have. The message to the group has been to belief every part that we have performed up to now.”

I feel England are in place. The loss to Australia in all probability introduced them again all the way down to earth however I feel that’s virtually factor as they have been put underneath strain. They’ve additionally been wonderful within the discipline, which is an efficient signal of the place they’re as a group.

Sky Sports activities’ Cricket Nasser Hussain added: “The match against India was a good sign. England were up against it with a big crowd in, losing the game, but they handled pressure really well.

“I fancy them towards South Africa now as there could be a little bit of psychological scarring from that first recreation of the event.

“I think Tazmin Brits is the key wicket. If she gets off to a flier, the others can bat around her and South Africa will feel they can control the game. If she goes early, the baggage of 69 all out comes back.”

Spin bowlers starring for England – however not decrease center order

In that 69 all out earlier this month, three of South Africa’s prime 4 batters – Brits, Laura Wolvaardt, and Marizanne Kapp – have been out to England left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, whereas the Proteas have been bundled out for 97 on Saturday as Australia leg-spinner Alana King registered document World Cup figures of 7-18 from seven overs.

Spin bowling has been the spotlight of England’s World Cup with Smith’s drift, Sophie Ecclestone’s bounce and Charlie Dean’s flip serving to the trio choose up 32 wickets mixed – 12 every for left-armers Smith and Ecclestone and eight for off-spinner Dean.

Ecclestone, who is anticipated to be match to face the Proteas after sustaining an harm to her bowling shoulder within the eight-wicket win over New Zealand on Sunday, bagged 6-36 within the World Cup semi-final victory over South Africa in Christchurch three years in the past.

England gained that match at a canter by 137 runs, rolling their opponents for 156 after Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 129 from 125 balls had underpinned a complete of 293-8 at Hagley Oval.

Wyatt-Hodge changed Emma Lamb for England’s ultimate group recreation of this World Cup – the latter omitted after averaging 7.20 throughout 5 innings with a greatest rating of 13.

Wyatt-Hodge solely confronted seven deliveries towards New Zealand, ending two not out, and it appears like a attainable misstep that England didn’t ship her out to bat on the fall of the primary wicket, when an extra 94 runs have been required in a small chase of 169.

Meaning the 34-year-old will tackle South Africa undercooked and with Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey but to essentially hearth within the decrease center order, which may be an space the Proteas pinpoint.

To reveal that, although, they should get via openers Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont after which Knight and Sciver-Brunt, all of whom are in first rate nick.

South Africa have match-winners of their very own in Wolvaardt, Brits, fiery all-rounder Kapp – the “most passionate” cricketer former England seamer Tash Farrant says she has ever performed with – left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba and lower-order punisher De Klerk.

De Klerk’s swashbuckling 84 not out off 54 balls from the No 8 spot dragged her aspect to a comeback win over India, whereas she repeated the trick in a nail-biter towards Bangladesh with 37 not out from 29.

De Klerk dealt with the strain then. Will England accomplish that now?

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