.png)
4 hours ago
4
There is "no doubt" that England will reach the Women's World Cup final, said former spinner Alex Hartley after Nat Sciver-Brunt's side thrashed New Zealand to conclude the group stage.
The win saw England finish second in the table behind defending champions Australia and they will face South Africa in the first semi-final on Wednesday.
They are playing in Guwahati, the same venue where England thumped the Proteas in their tournament opener by bowling them out for just 69.
"England will take so much confidence into their game against South Africa," Hartley, a World Cup winner in 2017, told BBC Test Match Special.
"Guwahati suits their bowling, the slow tracks and the way they use their spinners.
"I just have a feeling, and there is no doubt in my mind that England will beat South Africa and make it through to the final."
England have overcome some stutters with the bat during the tournament, notably against weaker opponents Bangladesh and Pakistan, but have also shown improvement under pressure by edging past co-hosts India in a four-run thriller.
Contrastingly, South Africa ended their group stage with a brutal defeat by Australia, suffering another batting collapse to spin as they were skittled for 97, but Hartley also warned that England should not take their opponents lightly.
"England are a better team, but that does not mean that South Africa can't have their day.
"We have seen it in the T20 World Cup when they knocked out Australia last year, so England cannot go into the game complacent - but they are the better side."
England have beaten South Africa in the semi-finals of both previous editions of the tournament, before their famous win over India at Lord's in 2017 and defeat by Australia in 2022.
England's bowling has impressed since the beginning of the tournament, particularly the spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean - though they will be nervously waiting on the fitness of the former after she hurt her shoulder against the White Ferns.
The batting line-up presented more concerns but openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones, who added their fourth stand of more than fifty at Visakhapatnam on Sunday, have started to find their groove at a very convenient time.
"There have been a lot of questions about Jones and Beaumont at the top of the order being able to play the in-swinging ball," Hartley added.
"Tammy has made a shift and is batting on off-stump now and she looks a lot more comfortable. She would have wanted to get more runs against New Zealand but that opening partnership is just starting to tick as we are getting down to the nitty gritty.
"That's what you want - you want to be playing your best cricket as you are getting into the latter stages."
Heather Knight and Sciver-Brunt have been fluent throughout but there are still question marks over the middle order, which coach Charlotte Edwards rejigged against New Zealand but they were not needed in the eight-wicket win.
Emma Lamb, who struggled at number six with 36 runs in five innings, was dropped for Danni Wyatt-Hodge while Alice Capsey was listed to come in at five instead of seven, swapping with the out of form Sophia Dunkley.
England must be prepared to adapt as they return to the slow, spin-friendly surface of Guwahati from the flatter pitches of Indore and Vizag, while India and Australia contest the second semi in Navi Mumbai, which is also hosting the final on 2 November.
