"Ssshhhhhhhhh! The talking is over, for now at least, and England's World Cup is about to begin. The bad news is they start with a tough game against South Africa. The good news is they start with a tough game against South Africa. Victory today would give England instant momentum and legitimise the cautious confidence of their pre-tournament chatter. An excellent win over Australia in their last warm-up has increased that confidence."
"even if the individual performances of Alice Capsey (88 not out) and Sarah Glenn (5 for 32) gave Charlotte Edwards a slight selection headache. Edwards is a serial winner, so there's no danger of England setting their sights low. But from a distance they are in the slightly unusual position of having a very clear par for the tournament. Failure to reach the semi-finals would be a minor shocker, even allowing for the improvement among the traditional also-rans."
England's World Cup campaign opens with a challenging match against South Africa. A victory would provide immediate momentum and justify cautious confidence within the squad. A strong warm-up win over Australia has elevated belief, while Alice Capsey's 88 not out and Sarah Glenn's 5 for 32 have created selection questions. Charlotte Edwards's winning record reduces fears of underachievement. England face clear expectations: failing to reach the semi-finals would be a notable disappointment, while reaching a final ahead of Australia or India would represent a significant accomplishment. The match starts at 10.30am BST.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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