Com Games Preview: England
Can the New Look England Win Gold?
The home team always gets an extra tick as sentimental favourite, but can England use that vibe with their new look team and turn it into gold? The green shoots are starting to show, if recent form is any guide and many experts already have this team as a medal favourite. But which colour?
The England selectors made some bold moves when constructing the squad for this tournament and for the large part they have proven to show promise. New blood, new energy.
There was global surprise at the dumping of opener Tammy Beaumont, a proven performer in all three formats and the catch-cry for England over the last couple of years has been, “who can we get to open with Tammy?” The selectors simply removed the last two words from that quote, along with Tammy.
Beaumont has been replaced at the top of the order by a new combination of Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt. Some good signs against South Africa suggest that the move has been successful, but this alone wasn’t the only big call.
Squad
Heather Knight (c), Nat Sciver (vc), Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Bryony Smith, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt.
Further experimentation with the batting line-up against South Africa saw Bryony Smith and Alice Capsey given opportunities, the latter the most likely to make the first XI. A batting order of Wyatt, Dunkley, Knight, Sciver, Jones, Capsey – not necessarily in that order – seems most likely and indeed capable of doing the job.
Seeing Jones scoring some runs for England is a sight for sore eyes because she has been out of touch for quite some time. Maia Bouchier is another who will be considered in the batting line-up. It’s a matter of fitting them all in somewhere – there’s a nice headache to have!
New Bowling Energy
There’s a spring in the step of the fast bowler’s alliance in this team. A rejuvenated Katherine Brunt took her best ever T20 International figures (4-15) against South Africa and also in the series became England’s highest wicket taker in the format (103). The retirement from Test cricket and the managed workload has Brunt back to her best, an excellent sign for England.
At the other end of their careers, new caps to Issy Wong and Freya Kemp. Wong continues to impress with every outing and is gaining great experience playing alongside Brunt. Kemp is just a teenager but will be a handful one day with her left-arm seam bowling, a discipline England has been crying out for.
Kate Cross has had an excellent last 12 months and the right-arm seamer knows how to keep the runs down – also good at the back end.
With spin, do England have the current world’s best in Sophie Ecclestone? Some might argue, but they’d be splitting hairs. A genuine wicket taker and Heather Knight’s “go to” when she needs a wicket. Another aspect about Ecclestone’s game is her improved batting. This has been a work in progress for some time and is now paying dividends.
So What Colour Medal Then?
England are in an easy pool for them and should have no trouble brushing aside every single team. They have never lost to Sri Lanka and hold a healthy 18-3 advantage over South Africa and 22-6 over New Zealand so they are clear favourites to top their pool and do so handsomely.
The semi-finals are where it gets tricky for they will play one of Australia or India – either of those teams a formidable foe. If they lose that game they will battle for bronze with one of their opponents from Pool B, so the worst case scenario is a bronze.
Playing at home in front of a packed house at Edgbaston, a new look team, anything is possible, but the colour they most seek is gold and anything short of that will not do. Put them down as a very good chance.
Fixtures
- Sri Lanka (30 Jul)
- South Africa (2 Aug)
- New Zealand (4 Aug)
