England v South Africa – Women’s Global Tournament Kicks Off
Silence please! The talking is over, at least for the moment, while the World Cup journey for England is about to begin. Unfortunately, they start with a tough game 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 from their pre-competition talk.
Pre-Tournament Momentum
A superb victory over Australia in their last warm-up has heightened their belief, although the personal contributions by Alice Capsey (scoring 88 not out) alongside Sarah Glenn (claiming 5/32) gave Charlotte Edwards a slight selection headache.
Edwards is a serial winner, thus there is no risk that England will aim low. But from a distance they are in the slightly unusual position with a well-defined expectation for the event.
Tournament Expectations
Falling short of the semis could be a slight surprise, even allowing for the improvement among the traditional also-rans. Reaching the final in front of the Aussies or Indians, the two top contenders to lift the trophy, would represent a major feat. And if England win it… no, let’s not go there. It’s much too premature for that sort of talk.
Today’s match begins at 10.30am BST.