England off-spinner Charlie Dean feels previous failures against Australia will count for nothing when they meet their arch-rivals in the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s on Sunday.
When the two teams last faced off in the multi-format Ashes eighteen months ago, Australia humiliated England with a 16-0 whitewash. And they will be favourites to clinch a record-extending seventh T20 trophy this weekend, having been dethroned as champions by New Zealand two years ago.
Australia have won all six of their games to reach Sunday’s decider, including an eight-wicket semi-final hammering of the West Indies.
However, England are also undefeated after defeating the Proteas by 40 runs at the Oval on Thursday. Nat Sciver-Brunt, the captain, made her comeback from injury with a brilliant 75 following a top-order collapse.
England are currently just one game away from claiming their first major title since their 50-over World Cup triumph nine years ago.
“We’ve not played them (Australia) in a year or so. It feels like a fresh start for us a little bit. But we know how brilliant they are as a side, they’ve dominated the games they’ve played in, too. They’re a very skillful team and we know we need to produce our best cricket to beat them. In a final, it’s whoever rocks up and plays the best cricket. It doesn’t matter what’s happened before that,” Dean, 25, who as vice-captain deputised as skipper when Sciver-Brunt was sidelined by a calf problem, was quoted as saying by AFP.
Dean, who made her international debut in 2021, added: “I feel like it is the most confident I’ve personally been in an England shirt and I feel like that radiates from everyone else as well.”
England lost to the West Indies in the group stages in Dubai two years ago after dropping five catches, and additional fielding mistakes were made during the Ashes defeat in Australia last year.
Even though England defeated the West Indies in the group stage despite missing six opportunities, their out-cricket performance at this tournament has significantly improved. Sophie Ecclestone led an outstanding team effort against South Africa with two excellent catches.
Dean praised the unconventional strategies used by England fielding coach Nick Wilton, a former wicketkeeper for Sussex, to get the team ready to play in floodlights.
“He borrows his wife’s glittery, sparkly jacket,” Dean said. “We do pieces of fielding to each song that he has on and he pumps the music up to try to get us all really hyped up.
“I love the way he goes about getting us really passionate about fielding and doing different things so that it’s fun every time.”
She added: “We’re getting into that space where we really want to show off with our fielding. There’s that air of confidence about us now which has really grown over the last year.”
