Cricket at the Commonwealth Games: All you need to know as women’s T20 tournament is held | Cricket News

Katherine Brunt and Heather Knight will be looking to help England win gold as women’s cricket makes it debut in the Commonwealth Games

As women’s cricket prepares to make its Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham, we look at the sides involved and assess England’s chances…

Cricket at the Commonwealth Games – what’s the deal?

The sport has been held once before, in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, with South Africa winning a men’s 50-over competition after beating Australia in the final. This Games, though, marks the first involvement for women’s cricket with an eight-team T20 tournament taking place. The MCC, the ICC and England captain Heather Knight are among those hoping the Olympic Games is the next step, potentially at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

Edgbaston will host each of the 16 women’s cricket matches at Birmingham 2022

Which teams are involved and how did they qualify?

England, Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Barbados are the sides in the competition.

England qualified directly as hosts with the next six spots taken by the next highest-ranked T20 international sides as of April 2021 – Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and West Indies.

Reigning 20-over and 50-over World Cup champions Australia are the team to beat in the Commonwealth Games

Which island nation would represent West Indies was to be decided by a qualifying tournament featuring Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Leeward Islands and Windward Islands.

However, that competition was abandoned due to Covid-19 so Barbados was awarded the opportunity having been the reigning champions of the West Indies’ women’s domestic T20 tournament, the T20 Blaze.

The final place was determined by the Commonwealth Games Qualifier in Malaysia in January of this year, with Sri Lanka taking that spot ahead of Bangladesh, Scotland, Malaysia and Kenya.

How does the format work

Simple. Two groups of four. Each side plays the other teams in their group once each. The top two in each pool advance to the semi-finals with the bottom two eliminated. Every match will be held at Edgbaston.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Nat Sciver feels England have their ‘best chance’ of beating favourites Australia at the Commonwealth Games

When are the games on?

July 29 – Australia v India (11am); Barbados v Pakistan (6pm)

July 30 – New Zealand v South Africa (11am); England v Sri Lanka (6pm)

July 31 – India v Pakistan (11am); Australia v Barbados (6pm)

August 2 – England v South Africa (11am); New Zealand v Sri Lanka (6pm)

August 3 – Australia v Pakistan (11am); Barbados v India (6pm)

August 4 – South Africa v Sri Lanka (11am); England v New Zealand (6pm)

August 6 – Semi-finals (11am and 6pm)

August 7 – Bronze medal match (10am); Gold medal match (5pm)

How will England do?

Usually in these global women’s events, everyone plays cricket before Australia end up taking the trophy. The Southern Stars have won five of the seven Women’s T20 World Cups to be staged, including the last two, and now seven of the dozen 50-over World Cups to be held following their victory over England in New Zealand earlier this year. They are formidable.

However, England have just reeled off six white-ball wins in a row over South Africa – the last three of which came in the 20-over format – and are full of confidence after seeing senior players and young guns alike step up.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Katherine Brunt became England’s leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals when she made South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt her 103rd scalp in the format

The evergreen Katherine Brunt, 37, has just become her country’s leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket; Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt are forming a potent pairing at the top of the order following the surprise dropping of Tammy Beaumont; Issy Wong, 20, offers pace with the ball; and in Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp, there are two 17-year-olds with mega potential.

Off-spinning all-rounder Capsey took a wicket on debut against South Africa before slamming four fours in a row in her next appearance, while left-arm seamer Kemp marked her international bow with two wickets. Kemp bowls rapidly but also has canny slower balls in her locker.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Seventeen-year-old Alice Capsey took a wicket with just her second ball on debut in the second T20 against South Africa in Worcester

England went winless against Australia during the multi-format Ashes series over the winter and then lost to the Southern Stars twice at the World Cup – in their opening game and then again in the final – but the side’s current hot streak has led to star all-rounder Nat Sciver saying they have their “best chance” of finally toppling Meg Lanning’s dominant team.

England’s only real concern ahead of their Commonwealth Games opener against Sri Lanka on Saturday is the fitness of skipper Heather Knight, who missed the final two T20s against South Africa as a precaution as she battles a hip complaint, for which she has now received an injection.

‘A dream come true’ – what are the England players saying?

Danni Wyatt: “Being part of a Commonwealth Games is a dream come true. I’ve always watched it, always watched the Olympics as well. It really kicked in last week when we had the kitting out day. We’re all really excited for it. It’s definitely a good sign for the future of the Commonwealth Games.”

Captain Heather Knight: “It is exciting and something really new for us. To be involved in a multi-sport competition that has that global reach that cricket doesn’t always have. It is a huge opportunity for us as a side to potentially attract people who haven’t watched the game before.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights from Derby as England beat South Africa by 38 runs in their final match before the Commonwealth Games

Katherine Brunt: “I don’t think anyone has stopped thinking about the Commonwealth Games from when we were first told we would be in it. I will give it everything I have got, I will certainly not hold back. I will have the gold medal in mind every single time. If it means I break at the end, I break.

“It sounds corny, but growing up watching people in the Olympics – I know it is not the Olympics, but it feels like the Olympics – with medals and people on podiums, I just adored those people and thought they were gods.”

Nat Sciver: “I think we have settled on the way we want to play – having that aggression with bat and ball, especially in the powerplay. Hopefully that puts us in a good position for the Commonwealth Games. I think this is our best chance [to beat Australia].”