WE’RE IN THE SEMIS!
SOPHIE ECCLESTONE says England are hitting peak form after booking their place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals.
Heather Knight’s side secured their spot in the final four by thrashing the West Indies yesterday – with Nat Sciver’s 57 a stand-out in the 46-run drubbing.
England have been dominant since starting with a defeat against South Africa.
And spinner Ecclestone reckons that setback was a much-needed reality check for the squad.
After claiming 3 for 7 against the Windies, she said: “The South Africa loss was a wake-up call for us all to be like, ‘Right, we’re in the World Cup now, we need to up our game’. I’m really glad how the girls have fought back.
“All the girls knew how much of a big thing it was for everyone to be in the World Cup. Everyone trained a bit harder and was having a laugh and a joke because that’s when we are at our best.
“I think everyone is in form now and we’re all happy with where we’re at ahead of the semi-finals.”
Unless South Africa fail to beat West Indies on Tuesday, England will be facing all-conquering India here in Sydney on Thursday.
But Sciver
(right), now the tournament’s top scorer with 202 runs, admits it doesn’t matter if they meet the Group A winners, Australia or
New Zealand as World
Cup omens are on their side. “We didn’t win the first game in the 2017 World Cup in England,” said the all-rounder. “We’re in the semi-final and on to better things. Whoever we play now it is going to be a big game and hopefully we can perform when the pressure is on.”
New England coach Lisa Keightley decided to drop Amy Jones down the order, after two low scores while opening, and brought young spinner Mady Villiers into the side.
Both decisions paid off, with Jones thrashing an important unbeaten 23 and Villiers impressing with a wicket. Skipper Knight admitted: “We will have to sit down now and look at the best line-up for the semi-finals.”
D Wyatt c Selman b Mohammed...29 T Beaumont lbw b Selman ............. 0 N Sciver c Matthews b Taylor ....... 57 H Knight run out ............................. 17 F Wilson c Cooper b Fletcher .......... 3 A Jones not out ............................. 23 K Brunt not out ............................. 10 b2 w2 ............................... 4 (20 overs) ......... 143 1-1; 2-51; 3-90; 4-97; 5-130 Selman 4-0-23-1; Alleyne 2-0-18-0; Matthews 3-0-23-0; Fletcher 4-0-29-1; Mohammed 4-0-23-1; Taylor 3-0-25-1
H Matthews b Glenn ...................... 10 D Dottin c Sciver b Ecclestone ........ 9 S Taylor retd hurt .......................... 15 S Campbelle c & b Villiers ................ 1 C Nation lbw b Glenn ...................... 0 B Cooper st Jones b Ecclestone... 15 L Kirby c Sciver b Shrubsole ........ 20 A Alleyne run out .......................... 10 A Fletcher run out .......................... 0 A Mohammed not out ..................... 5 S Selman not out ............................ 0 b1 lb5 w6 ........................ 12 (17 overs) ............. 97 1-12; 2-42; 3-42; 4-42; 5-68; 6-84; 7-92; 8-92
Shrubsole 2-0-13-1; Brunt 2-0-20-0; Ecclestone 3-1-7-2; Sciver 2-0-5-0; Glenn 4-1-16-2; Villiers 4-1-30-1