England target World Cup glory – an

Tournament hosts open campaign against India Home success can bring more girls into cricket The 11th Women’s World Cup starts today, featuring the top eight ranked teams in the game. A total of 31 matches will be played over the next four weeks. Here pic

A grand opening dinner in one of Whitehall’s most opulent dining rooms was an apt curtain-raiser to what will be the biggest World Cup staged in women’s cricket.

Increased prize money from the International Cricket Council, every match live on television and the sport’s newfound explosiveness with bat and ball mean expectations have never been higher for the tournament, which starts in England today. As home captain Heather Knight put it: “This is going to be big.”

Knight is aiming to become the third England captain to lift the World Cup on home soil, after Karen Smithies in 1993 and trailblazer Rachael Heyhoe Flint, who died this year, in 1973.

“Everything we’ve done is towards the World Cup, towards winning it,” said Knight. “We’re not the finished article yet and we definitely won’t go in as favourites, but I think we’re in a great place to challenge for that World Cup.

“In terms of getting girls involved in the game, the best thing we can do is be successful. If we win trophies we’re a lot more visible and, obviously, success is a lot more publicised.”

England’s men found out to their cost the dangers of counting chickens in a home Champions Trophy, and Knight is right to shun the favourites’ tag that belongs to holders Australia. The message World rank 7 Odds 50-1 Only captain Javeria Khan averages more than 30 with the bat.

World rank 8 Odds 50-1 Have won one of past 20 matches against higher-ranked opposition. the home support: today’s opening match against India at Derby is expected to be a sell-out. All-rounder Natalie Sciver is England’s potential

Australia’s captain remains the cornerstone of their batting line-up and scored five centuries on their way to the World Cup. Lifting the trophy at Lord’s would be the pinnacle of her career. Ranked the best ODI bowler, Kapp bowls a nagging length that...