Cricket World Cup: England and Australia set for final

Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch Date: 3 April Time: 02:00 BST
BBC coverage: Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sounds; live text and video highlights on BBC Sport website & app.

England will attempt to win a second successive Women’s World Cup when they face Australia in Sunday’s final.

Heather Knight’s side lost their first three games of the tournament, but go into the meeting with Australia in Christchurch (02:00 BST) on the back of five straight wins.

No England senior women’s or men’s team has successfully defended a World Cup.

“The way we’ve come back has been remarkable and speaks volumes about this group,” Knight told BBC Sport.

“To be here at a World Cup final with a chance of going back-to-back and making history is very special.”

Knight lifted the trophy on home soil in 2017 and is set to become the first player to lead England in two 50-over World Cup finals.

“I’m more relaxed than I was in 2017,” she said. “There’s a lot of experience from five years ago and the girls that were involved then will hopefully take a lot from that.

“We need to remember to take everything in, because it is a special moment in your career to be involved in a World Cup final.”

England are likely to be unchanged from the team that beat South Africa in the semi-finals, while Australia are waiting on the fitness of all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who has missed two games with a back problem. She could play as a specialist batter.

Australia are perhaps the strongest international sports team in the world. Since losing in the semi-finals of the previous World Cup they have been beaten in only two of the 41 one-day internationals they have played, as well as winning two T20 World Cups.

They went unbeaten in winning the Ashes series against England in January and February and go into the World Cup final having won all eight of their games in this tournament.

“There’s no doubt about that we’ve had our eyes set on winning this tournament for a long time,” said Australia captain Meg Lanning.

“England are hitting hitting peak form at the right time, so it’s going to be a huge challenge for us. We we know we have to play well to be able to beat them, but it’s an exciting opportunity.”

Lanning brushed off any suggestion that her team’s supreme form makes them favourites to win the final.

“They’d be disappointed if they didn’t win, just as we would be,” said Lanning. “You can think about it how you like, but we’re coming in to this game wanting to win as we do every other game.”

Knight, however, says Australia are “clear favourites”.

“If I was captain of that team, I would do exactly the same to try to take the pressure off a little bit,” she said.

“We have the mentality that we have almost got nothing to lose. If we do get in a position where we can win the game, we have to have a few players that go and take it. We can certainly beat them.”

England happy to be underdogs in final, says Shrubsole

Australia have won the World Cup on six occasions and England four – a combined total of 10 wins from the 11 previous tournaments.

However, the Ashes rivals have only ever met in two finals – Australia won both – with the most recent meeting at this stage coming in 1988.

Key players

Sophie Ecclestone: The England left-arm spinner is the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 20, yet went wicketless when England were beaten by Australia in the group stage. It is hard to see England lifting the trophy without Ecclestone having a good day.

Meg Lanning: The Australia captain is possibly the best batter to have played women’s cricket. At only 30, Lanning has 15 one-day hundreds; no other player has more than 12. England must find a way past her.

Nat Sciver: England’s star all-rounder has had a relatively quiet tournament since making a century in a losing cause against Australia. A match-winner with bat and ball, England will need her to stand up against the Aussies.

Jess Jonassen: If Ellyse Perry cannot bowl, Australia’s seam bowling will be relatively inexperienced, leading to plenty of responsibility on the spinners, like left-armer Jess Jonassen. If England can get after Jonassen, where will Australia turn?