Girls’s T20 World Cup: England out to keep away from extra semi-final heartache vs South Africa and attain residence remaining at Lord’s

England have been good on the Girls’s T20 World Cup up to now, chalking up 5 wins from 5.

However they now enter a knockout stage that has proved their nemesis – and in opposition to a facet, in South Africa, which have proved likewise.

Not since that superb summer time day at Lord’s in 2017, when Anya Shrubsole ripped by India’s batting line-up throughout an impressed spell, have England gained a World Cup in both white-ball format.

In six accomplished knockout matches at 50-over and T20 World Cups between then and now (we’ll low cost the rain-off in opposition to India in Sydney in 2020 which led to them being eradicated by dint of ending beneath their opponents within the group stage), England possess a document of misplaced 4, gained two.

If we additionally embody the 2022 Commonwealth Video games in Birmingham, then that undesirable ledger stretches to misplaced six, gained two.

England breezed by the pool section on residence turf 4 years in the past with three victories from three, solely to then be crushed by India within the semi-finals after which by New Zealand within the third-place play-off as they missed out on a medal altogether.

Australia – the benchmark ladies’s crew and already on this yr’s remaining – denied England victory within the 2018 T20 World Cup and 2022 50-over World Cup finals, however lately it’s South Africa – whom England play at The Oval on Thursday – who’ve had their knockout quantity.

Cape City and Guwahati semi-finals go South Africa’s manner

In Cape City in February 2023, England have been seemingly cruising in the direction of a T20 World Cup remaining in opposition to, you guessed it, Australia, just for the wheels to come back off when Nat Sciver-Brunt was caught within the deep off seam-bowling all-rounder Nadine de Klerk.

From 132-3 within the seventeenth over chasing 159, England proceeded to lose 5 wickets for 21 runs, together with three in a single over, and ended up being crushed by six runs. Not less than that was shut.

Quick ahead two-and-a-bit years to the 50-over World Cup semi-final, in India in late 2025, they usually have been trounced by 125 runs, bundled out for 194 in reply to a South Africa whole of 319 by which Proteas skipper Laura Wolvaardt stroked an impressive 169.

That was 169 greater than England’s prime three managed mixed, with Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight dismissed for geese throughout the primary over and one ball. Sciver-Brunt impressed once more, making 64, however as soon as extra her efforts got here in useless.

So, why will this semi-final be any totally different?

Why England must be assured of reaching remaining

Effectively, head coach Charlotte Edwards, a serial winner as a participant and likewise whereas teaching groups in home tournaments, is now over a yr into the job – the 50-over whumping by South Africa final October was nonetheless fairly early on in her tenure.

And whereas not knockout video games per se, England have been ready to deal with the stress of T20 collection deciders earlier this summer time, beating each New Zealand and India after getting into the ultimate fixtures of these three-match collection locked at 1-1.

Their fielding – which contributed to a group-stage exit on the 2024 T20 World Cup following defeat to West Indies after which a 16-0 Ashes crushing in Australia months later – has not been faultless at this World Cup but it surely has markedly improved.

Plus, they’ve match-winners all through the line-up.

Opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge leads the run-scoring charts with 282 in 5 video games, together with 100 and two half-centuries; Alice Capsey and Knight have performed key knocks within the center order; Sciver-Brunt, the largest match-winner of all, is again for the semi-final after lacking the final three matches with a calf grievance.

Spin-bowler Sophie Ecclestone seems to be again to someplace close to her greatest, whereas fellow twirler Charlie Dean – who has led excellently in Sciver-Brunt’s absence and seems nailed-on to be her long-term successor – has popped up with massive wickets.

The center-order dynamism of all-rounders Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson has additionally been a welcome addition. Solely Australia’s Georgia Wareham (182.22) has the next strike-rate than left-hander Kemp (173.07) with right-hander Gibson (163.63) fifth on that metric.

Sure, Kemp and Gibson haven’t been wanted to bat in all video games and have solely come off as soon as in three innings, belting 39 off 16 and 30 off 11 respectively in opposition to Scotland. However their presence at six and 7 lengthens the line-up and gives the late-innings boundary-hitting potential to take an excellent rating to a superb one.

Any points for England?

That is to not say the whole lot is working easily for England.

Whereas outcomes have been flawless – Sri Lanka, Eire, Scotland, West Indies and reigning champions New Zealand all knocked off – opener Jones’ type of simply 34 runs throughout 4 innings since a gap 53 versus Sri Lanka has not been.

Firecracker Proteas all-rounder Marizanne Kapp – who took 5 wickets when her facet demolished England within the 50-over World Cup semi-final final autumn – could also be licking her lips.

New-ball bowlers Linsey Smith and Lauren Bell have taken a little bit of faucet at occasions, too, and never bagged as many wickets (4 every) as we could have anticipated, though towering seamer Bell has been terrific within the final couple of matches.

Each gamers will should be at their greatest in opposition to South Africa as something free can be latched on to by the elegant Wolvaardt and the highly effective Tazmin Brits – former javelin thrower Brits hammered 114 not out from 69 balls in opposition to Netherlands final week.

There may be additionally no getting away from the very fact England had a proper contact with the group they have been positioned in, avoiding Australia, India and South Africa, the three different strongest groups within the event. That meant their pool marketing campaign was pretty routine.

South Africa, in distinction, have had various high-stakes matches, understanding after an opening-game drubbing by Australia that any additional slip-ups may show terminal.

They haven’t at all times been classic however overcame India in a crunch conflict and are absolutely extra battle-hardened than England.

The Proteas have carried out below stress. Now the large query is whether or not England can observe swimsuit. One other dream residence World Cup remaining awaits – if they’ll keep away from one other nightmare semi-final exit.

Watch England vs South Africa, at The Oval, reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket and Sky Sports activities Predominant Occasion from 6pm on Thursday (6.30pm first ball). Stream that match – and Sunday’s remaining at Lord’s the place Australia await – for FREE on the Sky Sports activities App.

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