Everyone in the UK will be able to enjoy the live action of the Women’s Cricket World Cup Final, with the build-up starting at 1am this Sunday on Sky Sports Main Event (401), the World Cup channel. Sports Cricket (404), Sky Showcase (106) and the Sky Sports YouTube channel
Captain Heather Knight is relishing England’s chance to make “history” and “write remarkable history” as they prepare to face Australia in the Women’s World Cup final.
Knight’s charges will become the first England team to successfully defend the Women’s World Cup title if they back up their 2017 triumph at Hagley Oval on Sunday.
England lost their first three matches in this year’s tournament and were in danger of early elimination, but have since won five games in a row, reaching the final with a resounding 137-run victory over South Africa in Thursday’s semi-final.
Knight said in his pre-final press conference: “I think winning will mean more after the start we had and it would be remarkable to be able to turn it around. It would be even more special if we can win.”
“We have the chance to make history by being the first England team to [win back-to-back titles] and that is a very exciting thing.
“The stage is set for us to write a remarkable story, but it’s a new slate and we and Australia will go in as equals. It’s who performs the day and deals with the pressure.”
“Being involved in the World Cup finals is what you set out to do, what you train so hard for, what you want to be involved in, so there’s a lot of excitement in the group.
“We won’t think too much about 2017, it’s a whole new day, a whole new game and a chance for us to go out there and show what we can do.
“But I think the positive memories of winning the World Cup from over 50 years that many of our players have will be really helpful for us.”
“Knowing that we can deal with the pressure and that when games are close and things are on the line, we have players who can provide their best cricket and rise to the occasion.”
England have come out on the losing side in their last seven one-day internationals against Australia, including four already this year.
Knight’s team suffered defeat in all three ODIs during a multi-format Women’s Ashes which they lost 12-4 and then again in the opening game of the World Cup as they failed to reach the target of 311 in Hamilton.
Australia have won all eight of their games in this competition and 37 of their previous 38 ODIs.
Knight said: “We are going to have to bring our best cricket, but we are not that far from Australia and we know we can beat them.
“Knowing that we pushed them that close is a very good sign. We did it at a few points in the ashes, but we just couldn’t finish the games and in the first group game we put a lot of pressure on them.”
speaking to sky sports Nasser Hussain, Knight added: “Australia will be favourites.
“We have some scars against them, that’s for sure, but we have almost nothing to lose with them hitting us a lot recently. We have to throw caution to the wind, go to them and see where it takes us.”
“I’m not one to look for a romantic ending, but I think it would be the perfect ending to the story if we can turn around the position we’re in and have taken a bit of a beating in the ashes and then beat Australia.
“It would be a perfect story, we just have to go and execute it.”
Of England’s dramatic turnaround, Knight told reporters: “I don’t think it was a moment, or a single magical thing. I know it doesn’t fit the story that people want to write!
“It was about staying calm, not panicking, staying positive and realizing that a lot of things that went wrong were in our control. Little things like fielding, bowling extras, poor shot selection.
“Those were things we could change pretty quickly and our bowling game is starting to peak in the competition backend.
“I am very proud that we have stuck together. We also had difficult times in Australia. [during the Ashes] and the fact that we have stayed together says a lot about the character we have in this group.
