For the England women’s cricket team, a shambolic exit from the World Cup ignited calls for change. Under the leadership of head coach Charlotte Edwards, their journey to the semi-finals, where they lost to South Africa, demonstrated their advancement as well as their remaining struggles. Edwards’ appointment is only six months old. Since then, he has worked miracles to rebuild a team which was left reeling after a humiliating 16-0 Ashes defeat. Despite an encouraging overall performance by the team, the loss in the semi-final of the competition leaves doubts about their preparation for the World Cup and upcoming competitions.
Edwards had an under-confident and mentally drained squad to utilize coming off the back of the West Indies Ashes series. You’d hardly know it, as she’s whipped her players into newly resourceful and athletic shape. Even while having to work mostly with the same cohort that lost heavily during the Ashes, there have been obvious indications of progress. England’s fielding and overall athleticism have notably improved, suggesting that Edwards’s influence is beginning to take shape.
That saw England finish second in the tournament’s group stages, a position that many critics claim flattered their display. Their campaign opened with a resounding victory against South Africa, where they bowled out the opposition for just 69 runs. In the past, England have had South Africa’s number in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Prior to this tournament, they enjoyed a commanding 36-10 edge.
Unfortunately, the semi-final was a tale of defeat. When England elected to bowl first at the toss, it was a call that backfired almost immediately. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt took full advantage, smashing a stunning 169 runs from just 143 balls. The match showcased not only South Africa’s batting prowess but highlighted England’s continued dependency on key players such as Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt, raising concerns about the team’s batting depth.
Alice Capsey has emerged as a bright spot for England, appearing rejuvenated with a clear role in the middle order. They will need those contributions to be consistent as the team strives to be a more consistently good team in 2024. Linsey Smith has had a huge positive impact by bowling 12 wickets overall. Seven of those wickets came in the powerplay — proof of the potency of Edwards’s picks.
For England, semi-finalists in 2013, this one will hurt. This time around, it will be much easier for them to accept the defeat than in years past. Edwards’ stated target was a semi-final appearance, her clear baseline expectation heading into the tournament. Completing this task is what makes her feel accomplished for the day.
“I haven’t spoken to the players, I’m keeping away from them at the moment.” – Charlotte Edwards
Looking ahead, the upcoming home T20 World Cup presents another opportunity for Edwards and her team to build on their progress. The ultimate challenge will be to translate their much-better lead-up efforts into gathering and translating that success into hardware on the world stage. They can only go forward, and only with an extremely prominent emphasis on building up batting depth. All the while, they’ll develop athleticism and maximize fielding potential.
Leave a Reply