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“We want to walk towards the danger,” said Nat Sciver-Brunt after England’s new swashbuckling style of cricket continued against West Indies in their T20 World Cup opener.
The real danger in Paarl on Saturday was to the West Indies bowling figures with off-spinner Hayley Matthews shipping 31 runs from her two overs and left-arm spinner Zaida James 22 from hers as England sprinted to a target of 136 inside 15 overs.
“Fearlessness” and “aggression” have been the buzzwords for the team since Jon Lewis became head coach in November.
In his previous role as bowling coach for the men’s side, Lewis has seen up close the benefits of ‘Bazball’ – the Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes-led approach that has revived England’s Test team, an attacking philosophy that has turned one win in 17 to nine victories from 10 and shattered both convention and records.
England Women were not at such a low ebb when Lewis came in but they had still had a trying year, failing in their bid to regain the Ashes in January, losing to Australia in the 50-over World Cup final in April and then missing out on a medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham during the home summer.
Lewis decided a sprinkling of Bazball – or ‘Jonball’, as Sciver-Brunt dubbed it after Saturday’s shellacking of West Indies – was what was needed. “The team is ready to fly. My job is to take the handbrake off, free the players up and get them to play to their full potential.”
That shift yielded immediate results. Eight straight white-ball victories over West Indies in December and then a score of 246 in 20 overs against South Africa in a 20 World Cup warm-up.
Sciver-Brunt: It is okay to fail
But would England be as positive in the tournament proper? It was an emphatic ‘yes’.
Their run-rate in the chase against West Indies was in excess of 9.50 an over, a record for a side chasing more than 100 in a Women’s T20 World Cup fixture. England had 120 balls to score 136, they required just 87. Helped by Sophia Dunkley thumping Matthews’ third over for 17, England were 50-1 after five overs and never looked back.
Dunkley departed for an 18-ball 34, leaving Sciver-Brunt (40no off 30) and captain Heather Knight (32no off 22) to finish the job. Knight doing so with a six.
Nat Sciver-Brunt scored an unbeaten 40 from 30 balls as England reached their target of 136 against West Indies inside 15 overs
Sciver-Brunt said: “The energy and the feel around the group is probably the best that I’ve felt. It feels we’ve found a new way of playing. Everyone’s capable of playing in that way but allowing ourselves [to realise] it is okay to fail has allowed us to switch.
“It’s since Lewy [Lewis] has come in, he’s brought that freedom. The way he wants us to play, he believes fully that that can be successful at a T20 World Cup. All the players have bought into it.”
Sciver-Brunt’s, Knight’s and Dunkley’s innings might have boosted their chances of getting bought in Monday’s Women’s Premier League auction, which England’s players will surely have their eyes on despite playing Ireland in the T20 World Cup on the same day.
Sciver-Brunt, her wife Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt and Sophie Ecclestone are all in the top price bracket for the auction, holding a reserve fee of £50k, and left-arm spinner Ecclestone showed against West Indies just why she should be so sought after.
Sophie Ecclestone, the top-ranked bowler in T20I cricket, has a reserve price of £50k in Monday’s IPL auction
‘The money people can earn playing cricket is amazing’
While England sealed victory with their blistering batting, the win was set up by Ecclestone’s 3-23.
The No 1-ranked bowler in the world claimed the crucial wicket of Matthews for 42 after West Indies had reached 69-1 from 10 overs and went on to strike twice in the 19th with each of her three wickets coming through lbw decisions.
Ecclestone told Sky Sports: “I am quite impressed with myself for being world No 1 and I just want to stay there.
“I think bowling comes quite natural to me. I was a seamer before and then changed to spin and thankfully I did! I think my height helps and I have a good change of pace and variations, which help me stay one step ahead of the batter.”
Having boosted her tally of wickets on Saturday – she now has 89 in 66 T20 internationals at an average below 16 – Ecclestone could boost her bank balance on Monday. It would be no surprise if she sparked a bidding war between the five WPL franchises, one of which, the Lucknow-based UP Warriorz, will be coached by Lewis.
Monday 13th February 12:30pm
Ecclestone will put any cash she earns towards the house in Manchester she has just purchased but her focus is on Ireland and “inspiring the next generation” rather than an Indian auction.
The 23-year-old said: “The money people can earn playing cricket now is amazing. It has been spoken about but we need to concentrate on the cricket. Whatever happens with the IPL happens.
“It has been really exciting [playing under Lewis]. He has brought this fearless cricket into our squad and given us a lot of confidence, which I think we all needed.
“He tells us to back ourselves, whether you are a batter or a bowler. To know what your game-plan is and how to get the best out of yourself. Hopefully we can recreate the heroics of winning the 2017 50-over World Cup and inspire the next generation.”
‘Really exciting day for women’s cricket’
Ecclestone admits the WPL auction will make focussing on the Ireland game difficult
Ecclestone is expecting a “really interesting day” with the WPL auction making their “focus” difficult ahead of the clash against Ireland.
“I think it’s obviously going to be really weird having the IPL auction in the morning, but I think everyone’s just focused on our game in the afternoon and I think it’s going to be a really exciting day for women’s cricket,” she said.
“I think it’s massive. I’ve actually not really thought about it, I think every day on tour is so different and I think it’s just a match day for me.”
England have certainly made a good start and it will get even better if they beat Ireland. Come Monday evening, Ecclestone and her team-mates could be one step closer to the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup as well as a hell of a lot richer.
Watch England’s T20 World Cup match against Ireland live on Sky Sports Cricket on Monday. Coverage starts at 12.30pm ahead of the first ball at 1pm. Make sure you also head to skysports.com for news from the inaugural WPL auction.
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