Women’s Cricket World Cup: England face wait over Sophie Ecclestone injury scare

England face an anxious wait over the fitness of Sophie Ecclestone for their Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final against South Africa after the star spinner damaged her shoulder in the final group game.

Ecclestone was hurt in the first over of England’s comfortable eight-wicket win over New Zealand in Visakhapatnam chasing a ball to the boundary.

Her knee appeared to lock just yards from the rope and the 26-year-old jarred her left bowling shoulder as she took a heavy fall.

Ecclestone – the world’s number one ranked bowler in women’s ODIs who has taken 137 wickets in 81 matches for England – left the field before returning to bowl.

She removed Brooke Halliday, caught by Sophia Dunkley at deep mid-wicket, but called it a day after sending down just four deliveries, with the England and Wales Cricket Board later confirming Ecclestone was receiving treatment for the injury.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt told Sky Sports: “I don’t know anything further, but it (Ecclestone’s departure) was definitely precautionary.

“We’ve got a huge match coming up against South Africa.

“We wouldn’t want to risk anything now and we’ll know more in a few days.”

England achieved their pre-match objective of finishing second to Australia in the group phase with ease.

By doing so, should Wednesday’s semi-final in Guwahati be rain-affected or not produce a result for any reason, England would progress to the final against either Australia or India.

Sciver-Brunt said: “We really wanted to put in a good performance and trust in the methods that we have gone about our cricket during this tournament, which has been largely successful, and take some confidence into the semi-final.

“We wanted to be proactive with the bat, and with the ball reaffirming plans and making sure our execution is high.

“The one thing we can all do as a side to show everyone how much we care is the fielding, and keeping that energy up in quite hot conditions was really important.”

New Zealand lost their last nine wickets for 79 runs as the White Ferns crashed from 89 to one to 168 all out from 38.2 overs.

Linsey Smith took three for 30 and Charlie Dean marked her 100th international appearance with a wicket, two catches and a smart throw in the run out of Jess Kerr.

England reached their modest target in 29.2 overs after openers Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont had laid the foundations with their fourth 50-plus partnership of the tournament.

Beaumont struck a rapid 38-ball 40 and Jones saw the job through with an unbeaten 86, her second fifty of the competition and her 16th in ODI cricket, as England recovered quickly from their six-wicket defeat to Australia four days earlier.

Jones said: “Tammy was brilliant at the start, she definitely took a lot of pressure off me when I was finding it a bit harder.

“It’s hugely exciting to be in the semi-final, we’re all happy to finish second.

“Twice in this tournament we’ve had poor performances and then bounced back really quickly.

“(It is) really positive so that will definitely give us confidence going into the semi.”

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