Belief back as England brace for their biggest game since 2017

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Nat Sciver-Brunt took over as captain following England's Ashes defeat in Australia By Matthew Henry BBC Sport Journalist at Lord's Published 12 minutes ago Belief comes and goes. While following a generation of England teams, it was always there. More recently, there have been times when it has seeped away. Times when Australia looked too good. World Cups held in places where England never win. But belief is back, building the sense of excitement before England women's biggest cricket match for almost a decade. While the eyes of the sporting world have been on Dallas, Boston and Chelsea nightclubs, Charlotte Edwards' England have eased their way into Sunday's T20 World Cup final against Australia. Little fuss. Their fielding whoopsies seemingly behind them . On Sunday, England have a real shot at winning their first silverware since 2017 – and you will not have to stay up beyond 1am to witness it. Organisers ease concern of clash between warm-ups and Rita Ora set Published 1 hour ago Do Australia have mental edge over England before final? Published 8 hours ago England's semi-final victory over South Africa was their best performance in three years, possibly longer ago than that, but there was a point when England's campaign teetered before it began. Six weeks ago, already 1-0 down in a series against India, they were facing defeat against India in Bristol until Freya Kemp whacked 39 runs in 13 balls to set up a win. Since then, eight matches and eight wins. From a mood-ruining defeat to a first World Cup final in four years. The figure at the helm of England's turnaround – and it is a turnaround after a group-stage exit at the last T20 World Cup and the 2024-25 16-0 Ashes defeat - is Edwards. The immense former captain, who began her 20-year international career playing in skirts and long socks but dragged the women's game in England into the professional era, was unceremoniously dropped a year before England's last World Cup win. With coach Mark Robinson wanting to mould a fresh team, Edwards watched Heather Knight lift the 50-over World Cup – a seminal moment for the women's game in the UK – from the commentary box. Not wanted for 2017, she is the coach England needed for 2026. And the view inside the England camp is they could have done little more to this point. Danni Wyatt-Hodge is the tournament's leading run-scorer and their bowling attack looks slick, albeit with a slight concern around the lack of new-ball wickets. Heather Knight has banished any doubts her best days are gone and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's form appears to have been unaffected by three games out through the group stage with a calf injury. Should she score runs in an England win, Magnetic Resonance Therapy may become part of this country's rich sporting lore. Edwards has remained calm throughout her tenure. She was in charge for last year's 50-over World Cup and after England's semi-final exit at the hands of South Africa