🔗 Share this article The English Team versus South Africa – Women’s Global Tournament Kicks Off Quiet now! All discussions have ended, at least for the moment, and the World Cup journey for England is set to start. Unfortunately, they begin against a formidable opponent with South Africa as their first rival. On the upside, they kick off with a demanding fixture against South Africa. Victory today could provide immediate impetus for England and legitimise the careful optimism of their pre-tournament chatter. Pre-Competition Confidence An excellent win against the Australians during their final preparatory match has heightened their belief, even if the individual performances from Alice Capsey (remaining unbeaten on 88) and Sarah Glenn (taking 5 wickets for 32 runs) gave Charlotte Edwards a slight selection headache. Edwards has a winning mentality, so there’s no danger of England setting their sights low. Yet, externally they are in the slightly unusual position with a well-defined expectation for the event. Tournament Expectations Not making the last four would be a minor shocker, despite the improvement among the traditional also-rans. Reaching the final before Australia or India, the two top contenders to claim the title, would represent a major feat. If the English side triumphs… no, let’s not go there. It’s way too early for such discussions. The game today starts at 10.30am BST.