A day of persistent rain in Sydney saw England knocked out of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at the semi-final stage.
With no reserve day in the tournament playing conditions the rules dictate group-winners progress to the final in the event of an abandoned game, and with India having topped Group A they travel to Melbourne to take part in Sunday’s final.
It was a bitterly disappointing way for Heather Knight’s team to exit the tournament, which left them ruing their close defeat to South Africa in the tournament opener and their bad luck with the weather.
Nevertheless the team will take heart from the way they grew into the tournament, as well as the individual performances of captain Heather Knight – who scored her maiden IT20 century, Nat Sciver – who equalled Charlotte Edwards’ record for most runs by an English woman in an T20 World Cup, and the combination of Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn.
QUOTES
Heather Knight: “It’s a horrible way to exit a tournament. There’s obviously nothing we could have done and to not get the chance to go out there and play for a place in the final is gutting.
“I really hope that we’re the last team who ever exit an ICC tournament in this way. We’ve been bridesmaids before but to lose out to rain is a new feeling.
“It has been a positive tournament in so many ways. I’ve loved working with Lisa and I think the group are really moving in the right direction. We’ll have a bit of time off now, try and get over this, and I look forward to when we’re back together ahead of the summer.”
