After a fantastic tour of New Zealand for England women, hopes are high for the upcoming world cup. With some great individual and team performances on show during both the ODI and T20 series, England are in good shape ahead of the rescheduled competition, which will be held next year over March and April, also in New Zealand. However, after winning on home soil in 2017, can this team defend their title? Following the dismal Ashes defeat in 2019, and considering the lack of new blood in the squad, England face a tough challenge to continue their success.

The 2017 world cup was a breakthrough moment for women’s cricket in England. The tournament showcased the best and brightest players in the world, with some incredible performances all-round. Despite defeat to India in the opening match, England improved over the tournament, which concluded with victory over the same opposition in an epic final at Lord’s. Nevertheless, what cannot be ignored is that England’s victory was aided by a home crowd and Australia’s absence from the final. Since 2017, the Australians, traditionally the powerhouse of women’s cricket, have worked harder than ever to bounce back from their disappointing performance in England. In New Zealand, England will face an Australian team that is stronger and far more ruthless than five years ago.

This new and improved Australia have already proven what they can do, thrashing England 5-1 in the 2019 Ashes and winning the T20 World Cup during the final days of normality last March. If that defeat has not served as a warning for England, then they may find this world cup to be very different from the last. With no home crowd advantage and the loss of key players such as Sarah Taylor, England could struggle in this tournament.

Yet despite some changes, the problem could lie in England’s incredibly static team. The current 2021 squad does not look very different at all when compared with the 2017 squad. Whilst England clearly have some strong players, such as Tammy Beaumont and Sophie Ecclestone, there is perhaps a lack of versatility in the team. Concerns have been raised over the lack of young players coming through the academy and into the senior team. It would be inaccurate to say that no new players have joined the side, especially after the recent success of Maddy Villiers, Tash Farrant and Sarah Glenn. However, when compared to Australia, there seems to be no healthy competition between players when it comes to places in the England side.

Of course, this is what the ECB is hoping to change with the introduction of 40 new professional contracts for women within eight new regional hubs. Despite the debate around the new 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the dismantling of women’s county cricket in England and Wales, the new tournament will increase competition for England places and provide players with the opportunity to play an even higher level of cricket. The ECB’s main aim is to feed a new generation of tougher and smarter players into the England team, mirroring the Australian model. It is clear that the ECB is aware of the issue of bringing in new players and are hoping that the new regional hubs are the solution to this. Unfortunately, with COVID-19 having stopped much of women’s domestic cricket in 2020, the competition now has very little time to affect the upcoming world cup squad. The new tournament, and the regional hubs, may yet have an influence on the England team in the future, but not before 2022.

England defending their world cup title seems unlikely. With Australia set to send one of their strongest teams ever, England’s lack of versatility may be the deciding factor in the competition. Ruling out England entirely would be a mistake, though. After all, a world cup can do strange things to a team’s mindset and, as we have seen in previous years, anything can happen.

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