Test Match Special - Women’s World Cup: England finish on a high as Devine departs

Episode Date: October 26, 2025

Henry Moeran is alongside 2017 World Cup winner Alex Hartley and TMS commentator Alex Hartley for reaction to England’s thumping victory over New Zealand in their last group stage game of the World Cup.Hear the thoughts of Heather Knight, who discusses Sophie Ecclestone’s injury fears, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amy Jones, and retiring New Zealand captain Sophie Devine.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimetres and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Here is Sophie Devine and Jones will smash them all the way through the offside. She finishes unbeaten on 86.

England have won this game with time to spare by eight wickets. And there ends a glorious career in ODI cricket. Sophie Devine shakes hands with the umpire at the far end. England's not-out pair of Danny Wyatt Hodge on 2 and Amy Jones on 86. Shake hands with their opponents who head home wondering what might have been. They've been rather a cruel hand with the weather. Well, here in Vichika Patnam, England have won by eight wickets to conclude the group stages of their tournament. And there is a very special scene taking place at the far end as players head towards the far end of the ground to form a guard of honour for one of the greats of world cricket.

Sophie Devine with her New Zealand teammates and her England opponents standing with a guard of honour. There's an embrace with England's Nat Siverbrunt, the England skipper, then shaking hands with every single England player. One of the game's great characters. And one of New Zealand's greatest servants bows out after 159 won their internationals. A career spanning almost to the day, 19 years. An extraordinary legacy. She's fighting back the tears.

And this is some scene in a corner of India where it would have seemed like a pipe dream for Sophie Devine. to be wrapping up a career where her side were playing in a tournament that had a prize pot of close to 14 million US dollars. So much has changed in her career, so much has gone into that career as well. And as she sees Charlotte Edwards, a long-time opponent as well, she will know that she leaves the game in a far stronger place than the one that she founded in. And as England win this game by eight wickets, I'm joined by Alex Hartley, World Cup. winner and this is a really special moment out there on the boundary it does it leaves you with a little bit of a lump in your throat doesn't it but it shows the character she is she's had the guard of honor she's walked through that and then

she's gone back to make sure that she shakes hand with every single England staff member and that just shows who she is you know she's done so much for women's cricket she deserves that she absolutely deserves the send off she doesn't like the attention she won't want the attention but there's one thing that you can guarantee it's going to be a pretty emotional post-play press conference with Sophie Devine. Well, we will be hearing from Sophie Devine in due course as well as all the reaction here on test match special with England chasing down a target of 169 set by New Zealand

whose innings never really got going. And despite a few starts, Georgia Plymer making 43, Mealy Kerr 35 and Devine herself 23, 168 all out to the 39th over, never enough. The big news from England. to point of view, other than the fact that Amy Jones was unbeaten on 86 in the run chase that England achieved inside of 30 over as well. It's the fitness of Sophie Eccleston, only bowled four balls in the game, having picked up an injury in the very first over of the innings, the left shoulder that she jarred trying to save a boundary.

So what will it mean for England in the semi-finals? We will be keeping a very close eye on any news from the England camp where Sophie Eccleston will no doubt be being very carefully assessed. But the headline news is that England finish the qualification stages, having won five matches out of seven, one defeat, one though result. The loss against Australia, their only loss. And now South Africa in the semi-final awaits in Goua-Harty. Yeah, it does indeed. In England, they'll take so much confidence from the group stages of this game.

They had a little wobble against Pakistan, but that game was rained out. So they got away with that one. Australia were dominant in their previous game. But England, they've got better as the competition. has gone on. They've got more and more clinical, which is exactly what you want to see. You know, Nat Siverbrunt with the ball has got better throughout and that's, you know, probably always

going to happen. She's not bowled all that much recently. So he's getting back into the swing of bowling. The opening partnership seem to have got things ticking, seem to have got things flowing. And things are looking good for England heading into that game against South Africa, who they hold really good memories against. Yeah, indeed.

Here's Amy Jones. One outstanding half century to this player of the matches Amy Jones for her 86. Stacey Ann King, a World Cup winner with the West Indies will present her with her medal and her award. Emmy, congratulations. We were all discussing about the surface today and how challenging or not it may have been. What were your thoughts of batting out there? Yeah, I found it quite challenging.

It was a bit slow, a little bit frustrating. But yeah, happy to sort of get through that. I thought, Tammy is brilliant at the start. definitely took a lot of pressure off me when I was finding a bit harder. To be not out and to head into that semi-final now that is pending with two half-centries in this World Cup. What does that mean to you? Yeah, it's obviously hugely exciting to be in the semi-final and to finish second. I think, yeah, we're all very happy with that.

England's performance heading into that semi-final, the confidence of the team now with this bounce-back victory? Yeah, definitely, I think. I guess we've done that twice in the tournament so far with, you know, poor performance and then bounce back really quickly, which has been, yeah, really positive. So it definitely give us confidence going into the semi. Just the emotions out there as well. You've played against Sophie Devine for many years. You've also played under her in the WBBL. What were your emotions, knowing this is the last ODI? Yeah, I think it was, you know, great for Sophie to get sort of. of, I guess, this recognition, I think she's obviously a legend of the game. And I think, yeah, it's really clear to see how much she means to the Kiwis and, yeah, everyone else in the women's game, both sort of on the pitch, but off the pitch as a great person too. So, yeah, really happy she's had such a successful career.

Congratulations to her. Congratulations to you for your third World Cup half century. Thank you. Thoughts there for Amy Jones, who top scored for England with 86 not out and top scored in the game. indeed the only half century in the match. So the table concludes for England and the top four like this. Australia, England, South Africa, India.

And we know now that England, South Africa, in Guwahati, if it was to be rained off, which was the only real thing that we were seeing being played for today, well, England, by dint of having finished second in the table, would have that advantage. Australia way out in front, and they will take on India in the second semi-final in Navi, Mumbai. alongside us as well.

Phil Long, the erst world travelling scorer that has been accompanying us on our way around this World Cup. What have you made of today and the numbers around it? It's been a funny old day. Funny old day.

We've said it from the start. Only day game of the group stages. It felt a bit strange early on starting at 11 o'clock. As the day panned out in the end, England one by eight week, it's 124 balls remaining. It's the third time in the last four games that England have played New Zealand. in an ODI that they've won by, with more than 120 balls to spare, 153 balls and 172 balls

were those other two. Sophie Devine, she's the player we've been talking about a lot today, made her debut back in 22nd of October 2006. Today was her 159th ODI in the end she finished with 4,279 runs, puts her 16th on the All-time list, 958 World Cup runs, which puts her 11th on the all-time list, but we've hardly spoken about her bowling. She finished with 111 ODI wickets, second only to Leah Tahoo for ODI Wickets for New Zealand. And across all-rounders, 34 players have taken 100 wickets in women's ODIs, only Stefani Taylor and Elise Perry have scored more runs with those hundred wickets.

She's been an exceptional all-rounder, and I think she'll be remembered as being one of the most destructive batters in the women's game. You know, when she was at the peak of her career, she was almost impossible to bowl that. And yeah, look, it's probably going to be an emotional evening for New Zealand and for her in particular, but she's got a career that she'll look back on and be incredibly proud of because, you know,

she's been exceptional for New Zealand and she's one of those players that's been feared around the world. When you come on to ball, it's like, what do we do against Sophie Devine, especially when she's getting going, especially when she's hitting those sixes for fun. She was just impossible to bowl that, so she's going to be really missed by New Zealand. She will, and she had that glorious moment lifting the T20 World Cup last year,

so she has had that at least. And I'm very pleased that she has, as a career, as storied as hers, deserves that landmark moment. We'll hear from Sophie Devine and that's of a brunch shortly. But even with the ball today, Alex, it was a funny start. Lindsay Smith struggled early on and bowled a number of full-time. The wicket to dismiss Susie Bates was one of the worst balls, shots I think I've ever seen. It was a bad bit of cricket, that wasn't it? A full toss from Lindsay Smith.

Susie Bates had faced two or three full tosses in the over previously, and she whacked a full toss straight to Emma at Midoff, who was on for Sophie Eccleston. It wasn't a good bit of cricket. But I think Lindsay Smith came back really well. You know, she struggled at the start. I don't know whether it was hot, it was humid. She couldn't quite hold the ball. I don't know what was going on there, but she came back and ended up taking three for 30.

So that will give her confidence. You sort of ignore the first four overs of her spell, and you look at the last six overs, and she was brilliant. It was rather remiss of me. You've reminded me there. Yeah, Sophie Devine's six hitting. In terms of the women's ODIs, she's second only to DeAndre Dotting.

Sophie Devine finished with 75 ODI sixes, D.D with 91, she could hit a six. But cross World Cups, doting second with 22 sixes, top of the par. Sophie Devine, 23 World Cup sixes. That's pretty good going. And it was a day that was quite short of sixes, actually. England's innings bringing two of them.

And it was not necessarily a sort of free-flowing game, I think it's fair to say, with just 168 from New Zealand off their 38.2 overs. And then England chasing down their target, 172 down, from 29.2 overs. But we'll get into England's batting and a bit more on the potential injury as Sophie Eccleston shortly. But I think it's time to hear from the two captains with Ishigua. On a day when New Zealand's campaign comes to an end

of got the losing captain, Sophie Devine, alongside me. How would you sum up today's performance? Disappointing, to be honest. I thought not to make it about myself, but I really wanted to go out on a high and today's performance just wasn't that today. So credit to England, they stuck at it. and then did the job with the bat.

So, unfortunately, it's not the way we wanted our tournament to go, but there's bigger things to go on in life, so we'll move on. At the same time, what do you say to your team at the end of a campaign like this? What are the learnings that you take for the team to be able to take it forwards? Oh, look, I think it's just that confidence and belief, and we probably spoke about it after the World Cup win last year, is that we are good enough to be here, and when we play our best cricket, we can beat any team in the world,

and we've just got to keep believing that. You know, I'm really excited about the talent that's starting to come through now. The youthful energy and the playfulness, that's within the group. I mean, they're starting to bully me already, which is a bit of a concern. But, you know, I've got such a high ceiling to be able to move in. And for me, it is. It's just about that self-belief in knowing that their best is good enough. Well, you've very much played your part in nurturing them.

19 years of hard graft, mentally, physically, emotionally. I imagine it was very emotional out there for you today. so yeah I actually probably didn't cry as much as I thought I was going to there's obviously a few tears in the anthem but you know I think the great thing about probably announcing it so early was that I was able to process a lot of those emotions and speaking with I guess my support network back home it was just the case of enjoying today about going back to the roots of why I played the game 19 years ago and that was to play alongside my mates and yeah look the result didn't go our way but for me honestly it was

never about the result today. It was just about finishing out here with my mates. I mean, it was nice to finish with Susie Bates bowling down the other end. I mean, I had to rig that a little bit, but, you know, to be able to share that with her, it was really special. So for me, look, I'm sure we'll spend a bit

of time in the changing room tonight and reflect and have a few laughs and a few drinks, but, yeah, look, I'm just so humbled and fortunate that I've got to do this as a career for, like you say, in 19 years. You call yourself the grounds of the team, you, Sue, have there been any indications about their future in one day cricket?

No, they've absolutely shut up shop, so I don't know. They've just left me out to dry a little bit, but, look, both of them could keep going for many, many years. I don't doubt that, and that's completely their decision, and when they make, that's up to them. But, again, those two players in particular have played such an important role in my career, and, you know, I feel so lucky to call them some of my best mates. So, yeah, whenever they do call time, I'll be right there on the first. sideline cheering them on. It meant that you could take all the glory. But in terms of what you've learnt personally over the many years that you've given service to your country and how far that

the game has grown, you know, what lessons have you taken, but also what would you be saying to a young boy or girl that's been inspired by what they've seen this tournament to pick up a baton and a ball? Jeez, it's a big question. Oh look, it's so incredible to think of the go for the women's game, I think, you know, playing along side you all those years ago. A very long time ago. And to see where the game's got to now in terms of the investment, the resources, the opportunities, it's almost unrecognisable from when we started. So to see where the game can continue to go, like I'm so excited about that and I'm going to be the biggest supporter of the women's game because I still think there's so far this game can go and I think it can be a real leader in the

women's sports space around the world. So it's a hugely exciting time. Lessons learned. I think sport teaches you a lot. I think even today, for me, for example, like, yeah, absolutely we're professional athletes and we're judged on our results, but it's so much bigger than that. And for me to get to play alongside my best mates, you know, in a country where, you know,

it's just such an awesome opportunity and that's more valuable and more rewarding than some other things. So, yeah, for me, it's just taught me so much perspective. And that's probably taken a little bit of time as well. I think I certainly, and it's probably what I'd say to the younger kids is, you know, if you're riding the highs and lows of cricket, it's going to be a bumpy old ride.

So, you know, enjoy it while at last, but also realize that cricket is just the game. And keep going back to that's, you know, why do you play? I think that's so important is what's your why and why do you keep turning up. So lots of lessons. I've probably talked too much as usual. But, yeah, just again, thank you to everyone that's come out today,

but also everyone, you know, not just, I guess, my teammates and support staff, but media, opposition, you know, I feel so blessed to have played this incredible game for so many years, but, you know, I'm not fully done just yet, so I'm still being annoying people around the grounds, I'm sure. Amazing lesson, amazing perspective. You've been an incredible servant for the game in one-day cricket for New Zealand, and we appreciate everything that you've done over the course of your career. You continue to strive to improve, and you've been so dominant, Soph,

to be able to dominate with the bat and with the ball. It's been very impressive. So enjoy this evening with your team. Awesome. Thanks, Ayesha. Sophie Devine retires from one-day cricket today. It was her final one-day international. And that's Siver Brunt.

Well, a win after a loss against Australia, back to winning ways. How important was it for you to get a win ahead of the semi? Yeah, we really wanted to. put in a really good performance today and sort of reaffirm and trust in the methods that we've gone about the ways that we've gone about cricket during this tournament which has been largely successful so yeah really happy to put in that sort of performance today and take some confidence into the semi-final what were the key things that you wanted to work on after the loss

I think being proactive in the middle order with the bat I suppose the conditions sort of played a part today and also with the ball I think just reaffirming plans obviously making sure execution is high but yeah I think as aside the one thing that we can all do to I guess show everybody how much we care for each other as the fielding as well so yeah keeping that energy up whilst it was quite hot conditions yeah it was really important yeah very energy sappy it must be tough on you as a captain yeah definitely um so I don't get to go down to third bed or you know to the boundary to get a drink between the overs but um yeah i'm just i guess really happy to um yeah how influence the girls a bit today obviously big news sophy eccleston

with the injury just the four balls bowl today is it just precautionary that she didn't come back on do you have any further news uh no i don't know anything further but yeah it was definitely precautionary obviously we've got a huge match coming up against south africa so um yeah we wouldn't want to risk get anything now and yeah we'll know more in a few days. At the same time others stepped up was Sophia Dunkley the clear choice? Yeah yeah I think so. Danny Whitehage did put her hand up but yeah Dunges have been barling a little bit more in the next so yeah I mean also that gave Alice Capps here a few more overs as well which she's been brilliant to chuck the ball to to be honest and has yeah really been executing very well. At the same time when you set about a run

chase you want to be clinical how good was Amy Jones today? Yeah, she was brilliant. Obviously, started off with a brilliant partnership with her and Tammy. And sort of during our fielding innings, it felt like, you know, when the ball was hard still, it was a little bit easier to play. But they navigated that really well. And obviously, Amy being there at the end is massively important. And hopefully, yeah, they can both take some confidence into the next game.

Congratulations, Nat, and all the best in the semifinal. Thank you. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. The Dakar rally is the ultimate off-road challenge, perfect for the ultimate defender. The high-performance defender, Octa, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D dynamics air suspension. Learn more at Land Rover.ca. Well, the thought there of thoughts there, rather of the two captains, Ishigua chatting to Sophie Devine, and just a moment ago, Nat Sivabrump, we'll be hearing from Heather Knight.

shortly but alongside me Daniel North Cross and Alex Hartley Daniel it's a funny old day this where everything felt a bit upside down the first early start that we've had with the ball England were a little bit loose and a bit ragged but the message seems to be from what we're hearing from that silver brunt is one of immense positivity there's not really that element that's been explored well when you win a game with 20.4 o's the spare and by eight wickets you're going to be feeling positive but at the same time what we watched for the first sort of hour and a quarter hour and a half was nobody seemed to be playing cricket awfully well against another side on another day you kind of felt England could have conceded 90 runs in the power play I mean the bowling was just

so wayward it was Lindsay Smith who's been fantastic in this tournament and it's been her control of line and length which has been really excellent and she kind of lost it for four overs but then she came back had a really good spell. I mean, I think she had one over that went for 17, but she took two for 30 odd in nine. So it was utterly perplexing in that way. New Zealanders were finding ways of getting out. You know, Susie Bates got out to an absolute pie, but England held it together in the field. There'd been that early snuffo, kerfuffle, when Sophie Eccleston some missed time to dive and then heard herself and had to go off. And that's if I'm had to juggle her resources. New Zealand batted very poorly. They'll be very disbursed.

pointed with the way that they played today, they should have setting under much higher target. But as Phil, we'll tell you, every game that's been played here has been won by the side, batting second. So maybe at the toss, it wasn't a good idea to bat first. And maybe everybody's just bio rhythms were all out of shape because we were all here at the wrong time. And we've all got used to being here at another time. I don't know what it was. Did feel like that.

Didn't even for us this morning. I didn't feel like I was here. It was very weird. It was a strange, wasn't it? It was a strange first two hours. But then, you know. Do you know what I think it is? for our, for us, our body clock changes.

And the players will be the same because you end up going to bed at midnight, 2am, and getting up a little bit later. And then you go, oh, we've got a day game tomorrow. So I'm in bed at 11 o'clock last night, wide awake. Yeah, yeah. It's a bit of that. And it must be hard for the players, actually,

because you get so used to that. And you need to be fit and ready for a 3 o'clock start. So you can't actually afford to be going to bed early because otherwise they're exhausted when you need to be really on it at 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock. evening. So there'll be a little bit of that. It's the only day game. I'm pleased it's done. It's been a lovely venue, lovely place to watch cricket and to be around, but it just had an air of surreality today. And also, there were other things, weren't there? We heard so much from Sophie

Divine. And a lot of our thoughts were about her. The fact that England knew they were going to be playing South Africa and Guilharati. Everybody knew that India were going to be playing Australia in Navi Mumbai. So the intensity wasn't there as well. But it's still fun watching cricket, isn't it? And it's all fun watching people hit sixes and take wicket. So, you know, no complaints, but it just...

Different from every other game we've had. Let's get some reaction from the England camp. Heather Knight scored 33 or 40 balls and after play, spoke to Daniel Norcross. You must be delighted with that performance. Yeah, really pleased. I thought it was a really clinical performance. Probably didn't start our best with the ball,

but I thought the way we'd call it back. It was a pitch where it was a little bit slow. You kept it quite simple, bowl straight, hold your line and length. It was quite hard to score. So, yeah, really pleased. with our performance today and really nice for Amy as well to finish off a game

and I know she's been disappointed she's got a few starts and hasn't gone on so for her to hit the winning runs and obviously take us into the semis with a little bit of momentum is really nice Can you just tell us a little bit about the outfield because it looked like some of you was struggling a little bit with your footing both sides actually during the fielding was it fine

I mean we just saw some dives that are a little mistimed and just a little bit of uncertain is it okay? It looks like grass to me Dan and I'm not entirely sure maybe I don't know the first I've heard of it to be honest that field seemed pretty fine to me but yeah I'm not sure

Lindsay Smith coming back that second spell had a torrid time in the beginning 11 o'clock start totally different sorts of circumstances but her second spell was superb wasn't it that was part of knocking out five wickets for 15 runs and basically winning the game yeah it was

it was brilliant I think she struggled a little bit with the sweat in that first spell obviously really sweaty new ball as well can be really hard for the spinners to grip so yeah I thought the way she came back was brilliant struggling with a little bit of cramp I think as well yeah she's had a remarkable tournament for us so far she just seems to come on and bowl those really tough favours which is nice nice to see she's quite a cool customer

keeps things pretty simple and it's really good under pressure so yeah another brilliant game for her today she's racking up quite a tournament you guys must be delighted that you've bowled out New Zealand so cheaply but only actually had four balls from Sophie Eccleson it does hint at a good depth in the bowling resources yeah it does I'm hoping Sophie's obviously all right

She's a really key payer for us, but I think it's one of those. If it was a knockout game, she probably would have tried to bowl through. But she's in a little bit of pain and obviously been a semi, well, with the semi-final coming up and obviously already qualified for that, it was sensible for her to go off and it's obviously I set shoulder. And hopefully she'll be fine for the next one. But, yeah, I think Charlie Dean ball really nicely as well. I think that's best she's bowed this tournament.

Found her length really quickly, threatened sort of those pads a lot, kept the stumps in the game. And, yeah, obviously, Alice has been a really nice job for us, really balances our side quite nicely. her bowl are off spinning over so yeah things are clicking quite nicely we're obviously full of confidence going into that semi you must be pretty pleased with your own form as well because you come back from an injury you didn't play at all really in england summer and yeah you're really starting to put some form together yeah i think so i feel in really good good nick obviously

frustrated getting out at the end i never enjoy getting out especially when there's only 10 to win but yeah i feel i feel really good um obviously we've we've played so many different conditions and i think my biggest strength is just adapting to what's in front of me and and trying to find a method and trying to find a way to manage those middle overs, in particular. That's my job in the team. So, yeah, we'll obviously go to a venue we played out before, but a venue that can be quite tough. So, yeah, obviously you had success there before.

And I'm just trying to trust my instincts, trust my game. Listen to the little man on the shoulder if he tells me to run down the pitch and whack it. I've got that experience that is probably the right thing to do. So, yeah, just trying to really manage that middle period and manage the risk and obviously find ways to score and really try and go big when I do to get that opportunity. And lastly, semi-finals of World Cup, semifinals and finals, knockout games.

They're what you live for, aren't there? You must all be really relishing Wednesday's game. Yeah, of course. Like 50 World Cup comes around every four years and it's always a big occasion. It's been a really good tournament so far. I think it's really tested us and obviously changing venues all the time

and different teams. It's the toughest tournament to win because you do play all the teams. So, yeah, delighted that we're in the semis and obviously we had a brilliant game against South Africa and they're going to be looking to come back really hard and put that right,

that first game in the tournament that we had against them. So, yeah, we know they're a very competitive side and we're going to have to bring that fight in competitiveness and, yeah, hopefully bring our best cricket and we've got a good chance. Well, play today. All the best on Wednesday. Thanks, then. See you then.

That's Heather Knight. Speaking to Daniel on the boundary edge, she made 33 or 40 balls today. Sophie Eccleston then could have bowled, would have bowled had it been a knockout match, Alex. As a left arm spin bowler yourself, what do you read in terms of all that? Not much. She's the world's best, isn't she?

You know, they need her. They need her for the semi-final. Had she have bowled today and done a little bit more damage to that shoulder, you know, then she can't play the knockout games on, or the knockout game on Wednesday, that semi-final. So they've absolutely done the right thing to protect her, knowing that I guess there were a few wickets down. She got that wicket with, you know, she only bowled four balls,

doing what she always does, you know. But you could see she was physically bowling slower. She was bowling 44 miles an hour. She's a bowler that bowls so much quicker than that. Her stock delivery is so much quicker than that. So you could see that she was in a little bit of discomfort. so England absolutely did the right thing of protecting her. What have you have had injuries like that?

I mean, basically what happened was she dived for the ball and she seems to have banged her bowling shoulder. And if so, what's the treatment and what's the likely prognosis for three days' times? It's not far now. Well, you just jar it so you can like pinch your AC joint or you can like just knock the ligaments a little bit and makes it a bit stiff and sore and, you know, they are never nice. They hurt so much and they can be, you know,

career ending ones like you Chris Wokes when he did when he did his or you can just have a little knock and you've got to find they'll obviously figure out what is wrong with her she's been assessed and like Heather said she you know she she should be okay so hopefully it's just a little knock but it's just ice rest and also trying to keep it moving to to make sure it doesn't stiffen up as well she probably would have been grateful for not having a three and a half hour flight tomorrow up to Goua hearty so that is where England are heading before we say goodbye. South Africa in the semi-final, a side that

they bowled out for 68 in the first game of the tournament at that venue. No, I feel so confident. Do you? Okay. I do. I've just watched South Africa be bang average in too many games in this World Cup. And I also think in other games they've been really good.

But I think when pressures on them, they just haven't performed yesterday against Australia. They were well below par. Against England. They were well below par. And I might end up eating my words, but In the back of my mind, I have absolutely no doubt that England will make the final having played in South Africa and the semi. They're a baffling team because they've probably lost worse than any side has lost in this tournament and done it twice to England and Australia. And also, I don't think they've quite got the make-up for Goua-Harty.

You know, they're quite seam heavy. Their spinners don't really turn it a great deal. And England will think that going back to that venue, which did assist slow bowlers, will definitely be to their advantage. They'll be incredibly confident in England. but Wolfheart Brits we know Brits scores 100 or she gets a duck she's probably due to the 100 so they will not take them lightly at all

and also there's a kind of calmer to it isn't there you know if you lose really badly in the first game it's almost like it's written in the stars there's destiny I don't particularly believe in destiny but those that do well and that's what the South Africans will be saying to themselves they'll be saying this is exactly set up for us to get revenge

South Africa when you look at them they can be a destructive team they've got destructive players. They've got Woolfart. They've got Brits. They've also got Marazan Cap. Marazan Cap with the ball. England will be wary of. She's one of those bowlers. If she bowls 10 overs, none for 30, it's a real win for England. And I know you've got

people, oh, could they have played a better? Could they have rotated the strike more? I think there are too many boundary options from too many other bowlers to even take a risk against somebody like Marizan Cap, who hasn't bowled her allotted overs in this World Cup either. So I don't know if she's carrying something, carrying a little niggle. One of the other ones to the cab will be

Ayabonga caca, because we talk a lot about in swing. And she will bring that ball back into the right-handers' pads. And England's openers today did a good job, and they have done sporadically in this World Cup. But their middle order, when it has been tested, it's been found wanting. So a couple of early wickets, and it could all look very different.

Just briefly, England go through the group stage with one defeat against Australia. They get the five wins. The one, though, resulting a game, they probably would have lost against Pakistan. Briefly, report card for the group stages. I think they've got better throughout. You know, I think they've played some games against lesser teams in this World Cup

and struggled in moments. Heather Knight, brilliant, against Bangladesh, getting England over the line. But I think they've got a little bit more consistent. The questions on the top order will still be there, but they've sort of put them to bed over the last few games. So, yeah, I think they've got better. For me, the mission is semi-accomplished. You get to the semi-final, and that was really what they had to do.

If they come up against Australia, if they beat Sutherlander, they come up against Australia, what they have to do is be braver. they've got to be much more attacking and they've got to take the fight to Australia because otherwise they'll be steamrollered again and that was my one concern that they didn't go hard at Australia when they had basically a free hit

so next time if there is a next time they need not to make that mistake well my thanks to Daniel Norcross and to Alex Hartley and to you for listening during the group stages as well that's it for this episode of the Test Match special podcast make sure that you'll subscribe so you never miss

an episode throughout the world Cup here in India and Sri Lanka. England then play South Africa in the first semi-final on Wednesday. We'll be live in Gooharty with play getting underway 9.30 on Wednesday morning, UK time. You can hear that on BBC Sounds, five sports extra, and the BBC sport app and website. Then on Thursday, India take on Australia in the second semi. That's at Navi Mumbai, the venue for the final on Sunday. And don't forget, you can hear every ball of that across the BBC. Also, Also, look out for Australia, Skipper. Elisa Healy talking to Alex and also Kate Cross on No Balls, the Cricket Podcast.

That'll be live on your test match special streams from Monday. Thank you so much for listening. We'll speak to you next time. The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. Featuring the stars of women's cricket. Smash straight back down the ground. This girl. Eight teams.

Bakes the cap. One winner. Australia to lift the World Cup trophy. The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. She does not fear a thing. Hear the action with Radio 5 Sports Extra. And keep up to date with the TMS podcast on BBC Sounds.