1 year ago
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Fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt went into England's last Women's T20 World Cup group-stage crippled feeling the pressure.
For the side's starring wicket-taker successful white-ball cricket and victor of 3 World Cups, it was unfamiliar territory.
England were already done to the semi-finals earlier the game, but hopeless to caput into the adjacent circular unbeaten.
After a important 11-run triumph against India, Sciver-Brunt walked disconnected the transportation by herself, visibly frustrated and affectional aft a disappointing idiosyncratic bowling show that saw her concede 39 from 3 overs.
But with 2-14 successful England's thumping 114-run triumph against Pakistan, it was a pleasing instrumentality to signifier for 1 of England's longest-serving icons.
"I've had a spot of a shocker," Sciver-Brunt admitted. "I'm not blessed erstwhile I'm not contributing truthful I was hopeless to bash that.
"Today was the time of starting that process for maine and starting to highest astatine the close time. It fills maine with a batch of assurance going into the semi and the final, it meant a batch to maine and I'm going to instrumentality a batch from it moving forward."
The 37-year-old had Sadaf Shamas caught down from the 2nd shot of Pakistan's innings which acceptable the tone, a show that erstwhile England spinner Alex Hartley said was "incredibly important".
"She was relaxed and blessed retired there. She wasn't aggravated contiguous and that is the Sciver-Brunt that everyone wants to play cricket with," Hartley said connected BBC Test Match Special.
Seamer Lauren Bell was rested for the fixture, having played successful England's archetypal 3 wins against West Indies, Ireland and India. She volition apt instrumentality to articulation Sciver-Brunt with the caller shot for the semi-final aft her replacement Freya Davies went wicketless.
Pakistan were admittedly woeful, stuttering to 99-9 successful reply to England's grounds 213-5, but assurance was cardinal for the seasoned seamer's display.
"She's shown quality and resilience, and admittedly not against the champion Pakistan side, but you've inactive got to vessel and instrumentality wickets and enactment it successful the close area," said England and Southern Vipers all-rounder Georgia Elwiss connected BBC Test Match Special.
"That is thing she has struggled with, but she's been capable to travel successful and bash that contiguous and she is charging astir successful the tract too. It is bully to spot her backmost with a grin connected her face."
'We're precise overmuch going for the win'
England's spot astatine the apical of Group 2 crucially means they debar reigning champions Australia successful the past four, and they volition beryllium steadfast favourites against opponents South Africa, who person mislaid 2 games successful the radical stage.
When competitions scope the knockout stage, players are often apprehensive of stating their confidence, with cautious statements of "taking things 1 crippled astatine a time" oregon "not looking excessively acold ahead".
So Katherine Sciver-Brunt's openness is refreshing, but not surprising, for a squad connected a winning streak and playing with state and positivity.
"There is simply a bully consciousness astir this," said Sciver-Brunt. "And it's not from me. Usually, I'd expect to beryllium contributing to reaching a semi-final but it's not, and that fills maine with a batch of anticipation to triumph this World Cup.
"We are highly excited astir it and it is 1 measurement distant from america - and we are precise overmuch going for it.
"We are up for the task and erstwhile it comes around, we volition beryllium ready."
In presumption of her ain form, Sciver-Brunt admits the unit of playing successful her past World Cup led to a dip successful her usually precocious standards.
"I tin spot present that I was trying excessively hard," she added. "It is my past and I americium hopeless to enactment successful a bully show - and immoderate cricketer volition cognize that erstwhile you effort excessively hard, it each goes down the toilet!
"So I americium trying to rein it in, get my emotions right, and we're successful a bully place.
"I'm good, the team's bully and we're acceptable to go."
English (US)