Edwards believes clarity of purpose can fire up challenge

Head coach sees England side making 'real shifts' as they prepare to begin campaign against South Africa today

- Raf Nicholson

‘We’ve got to be adaptable,’ says England’s Charlotte Edwards

Charlotte Edwards is drawing on her memories of playing "for nothing" as an amateur to keep England grounded going into their World Cup opener in Guwahati today.

England's head coach represented her nation between 1996 and 2016, playing 18 of those years before the arrival of professional contracts, and she joked this week that she could "write a book" about her tournament debut at the 1997 World Cup in India.

There was also a serious point to be made to the current team, however, who were accused during January's Ashes whitewash of having lost touch with reality following large pay rises in 2024.

"It doesn't matter if you're playing for $14 million or for nothing, it means exactly the same putting the three lions on," Edwards said - a reference to the tournament prize money, which amounts to a staggering $13.88m (£10.3m). "In 1997 we had three support staff - we've now got about 15. But it meant just as much to me, and I shared that with the players last night."