Alice Capsey wants England to keep their winning run alive against New Zealand at The Oval, with a fifth consecutive World Cup win the target on Saturday. Sophie Devine enters the picture only through the pressure on New Zealand, which still needs a result and help elsewhere to reach the semi-finals.
Capsey said England are focused on the parts of the match they can control. “We know they're a brilliant side. They've got a few match winners in there and we know that we'll have to play our best to beat them.”
England at four from four
England arrived at the final group game after beating the West Indies by 38 runs at Lord's on Thursday, a result that left them four wins from four in the home tournament. That record has already put them into the semi-finals, so the last group match is about maintaining pace rather than rescuing qualification.
Capsey put the emphasis on that run rather than the bracket. “It looks like a lovely pitch so I'm sure it'll be a great game of cricket but it's about kind of continuing our momentum in this tournament and heading into that semi-final, hopefully, with a win.”
New Zealand in Group B
New Zealand had already secured a last-four berth and top spot in Group B before the match, but the route still carried a wrinkle. Holding that place would keep the White Ferns away from a semi-final meeting with Group A leaders and six-time T20 champions Australia.
Capsey said England are treating the rest of the tournament as a sequence of decisions they can make for themselves. “For us it's about focusing on what we can control and we're controlling how we want to go about against New Zealand, making sure we get all the things done, making sure we're the best prepared we can be and then whatever happens with how kind of the groups lay at the end of the group stages is how they'll lay, and I think what we've found in this tournament so far is that every team is putting their hand up.”
Battersea and 33 degrees
Capsey also gave a glimpse of the week between matches. England had moved to a hotel in Battersea after dealing with air conditioning, water and power problems in earlier accommodation, and she said the squad spent its rest day “mooching around” the area. “And a few less aircon issues, to say the least.”
The Met Office forecast a high of 33 degrees Celsius on Saturday, so the setting added another layer to the final group match at The Oval. Capsey said the pitch looked “lovely” and that England were preparing for a game that could still shape New Zealand's path as much as their own rhythm.
