Charlotte Edwards insists that she could not be happier with her players for their world cup opener for women, while England is looking behind to leave the past behind.
The pressure is for England to show that they were not left in the women’s competition after an ASWHitewash through Ashes through Australia and their failures to reach the group phases during last year’s T20 Cup.
Edwards, who led England for ten years, replaced Jon Lewis as head coach in April and is pleased with the progress she has seen.
“I didn’t talk about the past, it’s all about looking ahead,” she said prior to Friday with South Africa in Guwahati.
For exclusive stories and all the detailed cricket news you need, subscribe to The cricket paper website, digital edition or newspaper From only 14p a day.
Brightness
“I think we have now created an environment with this group that concerns responsibility and we really have clarity about how we want to play the game.
“Hopefully that clarity will help this team under pressure, because I don’t think we will leave a stone in terms of our preparation.
“The signs have so far been really strong in terms of the development I have seen in the last six months. And I only hope that we can now bring that to the big stage.”
Under Edwards, England experienced a mixed summer, dominating against the West Indies, but losing the T20 and one-day series against India.
(Martin Rickett/PA)
To trust
Their self-confidence on the way to the World Cup is stimulated by warm-up victories on hosts India and Australia, and Edwards said: “We are not dragged along, don’t worry, but we know that we are on the right track and we follow really well in the first game.
“I think there is never friendly to international opposition, so we have taken a lot of confidence, not necessarily around the result, but the way we played.
“I feel that we are really nicely placed. You will be happy to hear that we have been very good, so that is something we wanted to work clearly on.
“Under pressure the players responded very well. We are physically in a good place and we have made some real shifts, which is really pleasant. I can’t be happier.”
Important asset
Edwards’ successor as Captain, Heather Knight, paid the prize for the bad run of England together with Lewis, but she remains an important active as a batter as for her enormous experience.
The 34-year-old missed the summer season with a hamstring injury, but was recovered in time to take her place in the team and Edwards added: “She is vital for our success here. I expect big things for her. She looks in great touch and ready to go.
“The last two weeks were huge for Heather in terms of her first introduction back to play and she really came back just as normal.
“It’s so great to have her back at that number three place for us, a position that we clearly missed her all summer. The experience she brings to our group to and next to the field is so valuable.”
(Stop Paston/PA)
Injury
The successor to Knight as a captain, wet sciver brunt, is also limited by injury, with an Achilles problem that limits her bowling.
Edwards, however, expects that she can fulfill her complement from Overs on Friday and says: ‘Wet is ready to go. They bowl.
“She has not bent in every warming up, but she also does a lot of training overs. She is physically in a very good place. So we hope at 10 overs from wet.”
Read more: Nat Sciver Brunt hopes that England can thrive on World Cup Outsiders
#Charlotte #Edwards #happier #preparations #World #Cup #England