England v South Africa – Women's Cricket World Cup Starts
Silence please! The pre-match talk has concluded, for the time being, while England's global campaign is ready to commence. On the downside, they begin against a formidable opponent with South Africa as their first rival. Fortunately, they kick off with a demanding fixture opposing the Proteas. Success today could provide immediate impetus for England and validate the careful optimism of their pre-tournament chatter.
Pre-Competition Confidence
An excellent win against the Australians in their last warm-up has heightened their belief, although the individual performances of Alice Capsey (88 not out) and Sarah Glenn (taking 5 wickets for 32 runs) gave Charlotte Edwards a slight selection headache.
Edwards is known for her success, meaning there is little chance of England setting their sights low. Yet, externally they are in the slightly unusual position with a well-defined expectation for the event.
Competition Outlook
Failure to reach the semi-finals might come as a small upset, even considering the progress made by usual lower-ranked teams. Making it to the championship match ahead of either Australia or India, the two top contenders to claim the title, would represent a major feat. And if England win it… it's best not to entertain that thought. It’s much too premature for those kinds of predictions.
Today’s match begins at half past ten in the morning BST.
