Ruthless and relentless with both bat and ball, England should be full of confidence after their semi-final victory over Australia.
It was great to watch them do what they do best, they didn’t show any signs of nerves and started really well which helps you settle, both as an individual and as a team.
They didn’t really give Australia a sniff and that’s so impressive – our semi-final from the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup was a nail-biter, but this performance was really comprehensive.
In tournament cricket it’s about gaining momentum and having that confidence going into the most important matches.
They were obviously going to be anxious but they were outstanding and got into the game from the start.
They perhaps wouldn’t have wanted to chase if Eoin Morgan had won the toss but the way Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow started, taking time to assess the conditions and then striking the ball superbly, it was excellent.
Setting a platform was always going to be the way of denying the Aussies a sniff in what could have been a tricky chase.
It was a good toss to lose in the end, there was a little bit of moisture in the surface and Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer bowled beautifully to make the most of it.
The first ball went for four but from ball two they found the lengths, got consistent movement and were able to do lots of damage.
Eoin [Morgan] looked to have a really good game as captain, he attacked a lot, kept coming at the Australians and they were always fighting against the start.
England were relentless, and it was really nice to see Adil Rashid get three wickets as well.
He’s been a bit unlucky this tournament but for him to be firing is a real plus for England. It does turn at Lord’s and with the slope as well, he could be really important for that final.
Impressive turnaround
England seem to be in a very different place to the side that lost against Australia at Lord’s.
The confidence levels seem really different, they had a sit down and worked things out and they’ve managed to go back to doing what they do best.
They’re committed to how they want to play their cricket, how they want to be positive, smart and aggressive and we’re seeing that pay off now.
In a weird way those losses might have help them re-focus a little bit, and get back to what’s been so successful for them.
The way England have been playing in their last three games, they’ve effectively had three knockouts and they’ve put in their best performances.
As a captain it’s always a nervy one when you head to the knockouts. You don’t know how everyone is going to go – you’re the one everyone looks at to steer the ship, be very clear on the direction of the team and it’s a tricky job.
Morgan does that very well with the bat and in the field, he backs his bowlers and wants them to pursue positive options.
England have so many match-winners, from 1-11 they have someone who can win them a game. And when you have that, it takes the pressure off everyone – if it’s not your day then the odds suggest that someone else will come in and back you up.
England are in a really good place, they’ve had three knockout games which they’ve won and they’ll take so much confidence going into the final.
They’ll probably be favourites but they’ll be brimming with confidence, they’ll have the nerves of an occasion they’ve never been in before.
But when they’re playing cricket like they did against Australia, it’s an exciting time to be a player and supporter.
This column was first published in the International Cricket Council media zone.
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