South Africa to take the battle to England
Host South Africa will take the assault to extra fancied England in Friday’s Women’s World Cup semi-final at Newlands, as captain Sune Luus believes it’s “nothing to lose” in its bid for a first-ever ultimate spot.
England has been very good with bat and ball and appeared untroubled in reaching the knock-out phases, whereas South Africa wanted a nervous victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday to guide its berth.
“There is no pressure on us, we can go out and enjoy the moment and try and do our best,” Luus informed reporters.
“It was hard work to get here (the semi-finals). We are still searching for that perfect game were all aspects click and work together.”
Middle-order batter Luus believes the one technique to counter England is to assault it and attempt to flip up the stress.
“They play a very attacking brand but that can play to our advantage. Once they lose a wicket they keep playing aggressively so that creates an opportunity for us. We also need to play attacking cricket from the start of the game,” she mentioned.
South Africa has been to the semifinals of the final two 50-over World Cups and reached the final 4 within the earlier T20 event in 2020. It has 5 semifinal appearances in all in white-ball cricket with out ever making the decider.
“We have been on the opposite side too many times, we know how it feels (to lose at this stage). That gives us enough motivation to go out there and just enjoy it with nothing to lose,” added Luus.
“We need to stay focused on the basics and do the simple things right. That will give us the best chance.”
Luus advised the Newlands wicket could also be extra keen on tempo, which may restrict the affect of England’s much-vaunted spinners led by Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean.
“I have heard there are good signs (for pace in the wicket). All our pace bowlers can make something work. If we can take the spinners out of the game early, they (England) will be on the back foot in terms of who they go to.
“They (England’s spinners) have been excellent in this tournament.”
South Africa has gained three of its 23 worldwide T20 fixtures towards England, although the final of these wins got here in Perth on the earlier World Cup precisely three years in the past.
Record-breaking England on a excessive
England goes into Friday’s semifinal on a excessive after setting a record-breaking rating this week but in addition tempered by private disappointment, opener Danni Wyatt mentioned on Thursday.
Wyatt hit a brisk 59 to assist England to a quick begin towards Pakistan at Newlands on Tuesday adopted by 81 not out for Nat Sciver-Brunt because it scored 213-5 to register the highest-ever girls’s T20 World Cup complete in a document 114-run thrashing to finish an unbeaten group section.
“We’ve been given a licence at the top of the order to go from ball one. We’ve got the depth and the order to allow us to do that. Even if it’s going to be tricky conditions, we’re still going to keep going hard,” Wyatt informed a news convention as England bid to succeed in the ultimate for the fifth time in eight editions.
“Everyone’s feeling really confident and, more importantly, really chilled. This is the end bit of the tournament and it’s really important to be calm and really clever and smart about the way you’re going to go out and play.”
Wyatt’s half-century got here after the shock of her going unsold on the public sale of gamers for the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in India subsequent month.
“Cricket is so up and down isn’t it, especially as an opener, it can be brutal at times. And you’ve just got to believe in yourself and just keep going, keep taking it to them,” she added.
“It was a very heartbreaking couple of days, I was very disappointed, obviously, having been a part of the WPL exhibition matches and I love playing cricket in India. But that’s life. And my focus is purely on this World Cup now. And, yeah, the sun still comes up the next day, doesn’t it?”
– REUTERS
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com