Home comforts for England ahead of their World Cup opening tie

ENGLAND'S cricketers enjoyed an unexpected visit to Marks and Spencer on the eve of their Women's World Cup opener in Guwahati but this is no ordinary game for a team with plenty to prove.

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Charlotte Edwards’ squad kick off their campaign today against a dangerous but inconsistent South Africa at the Barsapara Stadium, deep in northeast India’s Assam region.

It is a first overseas assignment for the head coach and her captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who came together in April charged with setting a struggling team back one course, but one that began with a reassuringly familiar outing.

“The girls have found a mall that has an M&S in, so there’s a few home comforts out here,” Sciver-Brunt said with a smile on the eve of her biggest test yet as skipper.

England have seen their status as serious tournament contenders steadily diminish since they won this trophy on home soil in 2017, leading to a leadership overhaul and the chance to turn a fresh page this month.