🔗 Share this article England v The South African Squad – Women’s World Cup Begins Silence please! All discussions have ended, for now at least, and England's global campaign is ready to commence. The bad news is, they begin against a formidable opponent versus the South African side. The good news is, they start with a tough game facing the South Africans. Victory today could provide immediate impetus for England and validate the measured self-belief of their pre-tournament chatter. Pre-Tournament Momentum An impressive triumph against the Australians during their final preparatory match has boosted that self-assurance, even if the standout displays by Alice Capsey (scoring 88 not out) alongside Sarah Glenn (claiming 5/32) gave Charlotte Edwards a slight selection headache. Edwards is a serial winner, so there’s no danger of England setting their sights low. Yet, externally they find themselves in a somewhat uncommon situation with a well-defined expectation for the event. Tournament Expectations Not making the last four could be a slight surprise, even allowing for the progress made by usual lower-ranked teams. Making it to the championship match ahead of either Australia or India, the two clear favourites to lift the trophy, would be a serious achievement. And if England win it… we shouldn’t speculate further. It’s far too soon for such discussions. This fixture commences at 10.30am BST.