04 March 2020

Englands's Nat Sciver slams ICC for having no 'Plan B' if rain wipes out T20 World Cup semi-finals

England's World Cup star Natalie Sciver has hit out at the ICC for not scheduling a reserve day for the semi-finals of the T20 Women's World Cup which could see England missing out on a place in the final.

Both semi-finals are due to take place on Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground but are at risk as rain is forecast in the city.

Having qualified second in group B, England are due to play India, who topped group A, while Australia take on South Africa.

However, should the forecast be correct and the minimum 10 overs not bowled, Sciver's England as well as hosts Australia would crash out of the tournament leaving group toppers India and South Africa to battle it out in Melbourne on Sunday.

Sciver said: "It's a real shame not to have a reserve day. In Australia you don't expect it to rain, but it is towards the end of the summer so you have to be prepared.

"Luckily we're playing at the SCG, where the ground staff will do everything possible to get the game on.

"There was rain in the final of the Big Bash and they managed to get the game on. We're hoping for the best."

Sciver has thus far been the star of the tournament for England totting up three fifties in four innings in England's pursuit of another world title to add to the 50 overs trophy they won at Lord's in 2017.

Should her team qualify for Sunday's final, organisers are hoping for a record attendance in at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on what is also International Women's Day.

Having already sold over 50,000 tickets, they are bidding to break the current record for a women's international event, when the USA won the World Cup in 1999 in front of 90,185 spectators.

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