The wait goes on.
Not since 2017, when Anya Shrubsole impressed her nation to 50-over glory at a sold-out Lord’s, have England lifted a World Cup. You could return to 2014 for his or her final Ashes triumph.
Over latest years, England have ended up second greatest in the true crunch video games – earlier than and after Jon Lewis took over as coach and instilled an aggressive, fearless model of cricket, one he had watched first-hand as bowling coach within the early Bazball period for England males.
No matter model England have adopted, the silverware they really need has eluded them.
Bilateral collection wins have been chalked up, together with in opposition to Australia final summer time once they had been victorious in each the ODI and T20I legs of the multi-format contest.
However that was not sufficient to say the general Ashes trophy, after defeat within the Take a look at plus slim losses within the first T20 and second ODI, and now their hopes of a primary T20 World Cup title since 2009 have been dashed by a six-wicket defeat to West Indies.
With a semi-final spot on the road, England faltered.
That deflating reverse – West Indies pummelling 67 within the powerplay as they efficiently chased 142 in opposition to a ragged England facet that shelled 5 catches – meant Knight’s facet failed to succeed in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup for the primary time in seven editions.
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England dropped 5 catches as West Indies received off to a flying begin of their profitable run chase of 142 in Dubai
England had made the final 4 of the earlier T20 World Cup in South Africa in early 2023, just for their big-game yips to maybe strike once more – fading from 132-3 within the seventeenth over chasing 165 as soon as the always-instrumental Nat Sciver-Brunt was dismissed.
Knight’s crew had been ruthless to that time within the match with 4 wins from 4, together with a competition-record 213 in opposition to Pakistan, however that counted for nothing ultimately.
It was an analogous state of affairs this time round with the facet largely breezing by way of their first three group matches, save for a little bit of a batting stumble in opposition to Bangladesh and a few spilled catches in opposition to South Africa.
A ten-wicket demolition of Scotland, during which Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge sealed a chase of 110 in simply 10 overs, put them prime of the group and on the right track for the knockout levels.
Will Knight be contemplating her future as captain?
With out taking something away from West Indies, England’s ruthlessness evaporated in Dubai on Tuesday, with three wickets misplaced inside seven overs after they had been put in to bat after which the Caribbean facet taking advantage of brief and broad bowling and a glut of dropped catches to interrupt the again of the chase early on.
All Knight may do through the West Indies innings was watch in ache – actually and figuratively – with a calf damage sustained whereas batting that brought on her to retire damage stopping her from taking the sphere.
She was suppressing tears on the post-match presentation. Her anguish clear.
Knight was unable to subject after sustaining a calf damage whereas batting
Knight has been by way of the wringer as England captain since that joyous Lord’s day in the summertime of 2017. Holding the facet collectively through the restrictive Covid period and presiding over quite a few nearly-but-not-quite moments in Ashes collection and World Cups.
Such is the packed girls’s cricketing calendar now, there’ll quickly be extra large trophies for Knight to struggle for.
An away Girls’s Ashes collection in January. The subsequent 50-over World Cup in India in September and October 2025.
But you ponder whether she will be able to go to the effectively as soon as extra as captain or if, after over eight years within the position, she is going to contemplate it time handy over the mantle. Time for a contemporary voice to guide and for her to focus solely on her batting.
There was no outward suggestion of that – profitable a primary Ashes collection as captain is an apparent cause to proceed and England clearly missed her composure as issues unravelled in opposition to West Indies – however the finish of a world occasion at all times brings reflection.
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Aaliyah Alleyne hit the profitable runs to spark wild West Indies celebrations and depart England in tears
Sciver-Brunt stood in for the stricken Knight in opposition to West Indies, nevertheless it could be Sophie Ecclestone is the long-term successor as captain: nonetheless solely 25, a sure starter – she is among the greatest bowlers on this planet, if not one of the best – and with a shrewd cricket mind.
Whoever leads England going ahead, although, the duty is easy – effectively, easy to say, if not execute. Discover a method to recover from the road when it actually issues.
England have closed the hole on standard-bearers Australia – if not for the Ashes factors system so closely weighted in direction of the only real Take a look at match, they might have claimed again the urn final summer time – however now they should shut out victories within the largest matches.
The wait goes on.
Watch the Girls’s T20 World Cup semi-finals and closing dwell on Sky Sports activities this week.
- First semi-final: Australia vs South Africa – 2.30pm, Thursday, Sky Sports activities Cricket (3pm first ball)
- Second semi-final: West Indies vs New Zealand – 2.30pm, Friday, Sky Sports activities Cricket (3pm first ball)
- Ultimate: TBC vs TBC – 2.30pm, Sunday, Sky Sports activities Cricket (3pm first ball)
