England start group as favourites

The England women have a strong looking side on paper, with lots of ODI experience

Two-time former champions England find themselves taking on all the Asian teams in pursuit of a place in the Super Six stage in next week’s women’s World Cup.

England, winners in 1973 and 1993 on home turf, launch their latest campaign against Sri Lanka on the opening day of the tournament at Manuka Oval, Canberra on March 7.

Traditional rivals India and Pakistan also get into action on the opening day of the tournament at Bradman Oval.

Charlotte Edwards’ side then meet India on March 10 before concluding the group stage of the tournament against Pakistan on March 12, with the former encounter possibly deciding who tops the group.

On paper, England looks to be a superior side to India but in reality, there is very little to choose between the two sides as both have enjoyed almost equal success against each other.

The two teams have met 46 times with Edwards’ side winning 24 matches and Jhulan Goswami’s side emerging the winners on 20 occasions.

However, England and India maintain a 100% record against the other two teams in the group - Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

In the most recent series between the two teams, England beat India 4-0 in a five-match series last September - in a season which saw England win nine out of the 10 ODIs they played.

England is the most improved of the eight sides taking part in the World Cup, having the likes of Edwards, Claire Taylor, Sarah Taylor, Lydia Greenway, Caroline Atkins, Isa Guha, Holly Colvin, Katherine Brunt , Nicola Shaw and all-rounder Jenny Gunn.

All these players figure in the top 20 of batting and bowling listings of Reliance Mobile ICC Women’s ODI player rankings.

Charlotte Edwards has led from the front many times since being appointed captain

Edwards is not only an experienced captain who has led England in 43 ODIs, winning 24 of those matches, she has also been an inspirational leader as she is the fourth most successful batsman in women’s cricket after Belinda Clark, Karen Rolton and Debbie Hockley, with 3,520 runs.

In her debut World Cup in India, where England lost to New Zealand by 20 runs in the semi-final, Edwards was her team’s leading run-scorer with 365 runs at an average of 91.25.

In New Zealand in 2000, where England finished fifth, she scored 157 runs at an average of 52.33 and in South Africa in 2005, where England lost to Australia by five wickets in the semi-final, she was the leading run-scorer with 280 runs at an average of 46.66.

Another experienced campaigner in the England side is Claire Taylor, who will be appearing in her third World Cup and has already played 102 ODIs.

In her debut World Cup in New Zealand in 2000, Taylor, who is the sixth leading run-scorer in women’s cricket with 3,287 runs, was England’s principle scorer with 267 runs at an average of 66.75 while in 2005 in South Africa, she was just behind Edwards with 265 runs.

Apart from Edwards and Taylor, other survivors from the 2005 campaign include Brunt, Greenway, Guha, Gunn and Shaw.

The event will also be a big test for Ebony Rainford-Brent, the 25-year-old all-rounder, who is returning after a back injury.

Brent made her debut at the age of 17 but last played for England in the home series against South Africa.

Jhulan Goswami will be one of the main players for India in the women's World Cup campaign

India will be relying heavily on captain Jhulan Goswami, former captain Mithali Raj and veteran Anjum Chopra who will be appearing in her fourth World Cup.

Pakistan won the right to compete against the elite when they reached the final of the qualifier in South Africa last year where they lost to South Africa by eight wickets.

On their way to the final, Pakistan surprised two top-10 ranked teams – ninth-placed Ireland by 57 runs and 10th-placed Holland by 94 runs in the semi-final.

But since that semi-final victory Pakistan’s performances have taken a nose-dive as they have lost all eight ODIs.

With the exception of fast bowler Javeria Khan, the performances of other key players have dipped significantly.

While Javeria has figures of 11-172 in the last seven ODIs, Sana Mir, who was player of the tournament in South Africa along with Holland’s Caroline de Fouw, has scored only 67 runs and has taken 5-265..

Sri Lanka will be appearing in the World Cup for the fourth time with 32-year-old Hiruka Fernando all set to become her country’s only player to figure in all the events.

The left-handed batsman is also her country’s most experienced player with 51 ODIs in which she has scored 929 runs, including an unbeaten 78 against South Africa in Pretoria in 2005 which earned her the player-of-the-match award.

The top four teams in the ICC women’s World Cup 2009 will automatically qualify for the 2013 event to be staged in India.

The fifth and sixth-placed teams will earn direct spots in the 10-team ICC women’s World Cup qualifier 2011 where they will be joined by eight other sides – two each from Africa, Asia and Europe, and one each from Americas and East Asia-Pacific regions – who will qualify from their own regional qualifying tournaments.