How Edwards and Sciver-Brunt put England back on track

Eight months on from Ashes humiliation, England are on the brink of a remarkable turnaround.

Their first objective has been achieved, with coach Charlotte Edwards putting the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup as her minimum expectation, but the final is now in their sights, too.

England's semi-final against South Africa on Wednesday is a repeat of their tournament opener when they skittled the Proteas for just 69 in a statement win, and on the slow, spin-friendly surfaces of Guwahati, Nat Sciver-Brunt's side are favourites to join either India or Australia in Sunday's showpiece.

On the field, England have been good without yet being great - their middle-order batting is an obvious weakness - but with a new leadership duo at the helm, the turnaround is gathering momentum.

England's skillset was put under an intense microscope of scrutiny and criticism like never before after they were thoroughly outplayed by Australia last winter, but their attitude, fitness and professionalism was also in the spotlight.

That hammering down under was preceded by an embarrassing group-stage exit by West Indies in the T20 World Cup, but those same criticisms have not resurfaced during this campaign.

It has taken some time, with a few bumps in the road over the summer and some close calls during these group stages, but this team is now becoming Edwards' England.

From humiliation to hope, the legendary former captain's influence is clear to see.

Winning is a habit for Edwards.

As a captain, she led England to 50-over and T20 World Cup wins and Ashes triumphs in 2013-14. As a coach, her Southern Vipers dominated the women's domestic scene in the UK, Southern Brave won The Hundred in 2023 and she won the Women's Premier League in India with Mumbai Indians in its inaugural season.

What has become clear in her coaching style with England has been her insistence in role clarity, ensuring that individuals are fully aware of their responsibilities once they cross the boundary rope.

Under Lewis, the 'inspire and entertain' mantra did not suit everyone, and it became muddled - particularly with younger players who, purely through lack of experience, had not yet cracked 50-over cricket.

"Personnel-wise, the squad isn't too different but the clarity of role that everybody has, and the skills that they've developed to perform that role, has really shifted," Sciver-Brunt told BBC Sport, when asked about how England's approach to ODIs had changed since the winter.

"I've been really impressed with everybody taking that accountability and responsibility and what they want to work on, and what they want to get out of themselves."

It was clear that after such a tough tour, England needed that structure and guidance to get back on track, and they have gone back to basics.

Linsey Smith is a prime example of Edwards' influence on the team, having worked together at the Vipers for several years.

Smith is England's powerplay weapon, a role she fulfilled in county cricket, and she is effective without being overly flashy - she bowls very straight, rarely leaving the stumps and cannily drifts the ball into the right-hander with great effect.

Charlie Dean is another player who was under Edwards' wing at Hampshire and the Vipers, and was appointed vice-captain before the World Cup.

"I know her [Edwards'] style and it feels like we're really going into the nuances of the game now," said Dean.

"We're trying to bring out really gritty performances and the best out of each other. I think every coach comes with their own ideas and when you buy into it, that's when a team really flies."

Their batting focuses on building an innings, batting for time and taking the game as deep as possible, again moving away from Lewis' aggression while highlighting Edwards' focus on winning regardless of how it comes.

"England have been finding ways to win, and that is what is entertaining now," World Cup winner Alex Hartley said on the BBC Test Match Special podcast.

"There have been some of those games where they have scraped over the line, but now it's about them doing it when they are under pressure."

When asked to describe Edwards, the words that players often repeat are "passionate" and "competitive". For Sciver-Brunt, you'll usually hear "calm and collected".

Fast bowler Lauren Bell said "no stone is left unturned" in the duo's preparation, but also praised how Sciver-Brunt's on-field calmness suited her personally.

Sciver-Brunt's style is to lead from the front with her performances, which she has done as a senior player over the past few years, so part of the balance in their leadership dynamic is for Edwards to alleviate some of the captain's workload as skipper, batter, bowler and new mum.

Edwards is meticulous in her planning. Around the team hotels and strolling through airports, she is rarely seen without her tablet or notepad for strategising.

She also watches everything, admitting that she has been glued to the television during her evenings and watching all of the other group-stage games.

That is not to say that Sciver-Brunt takes a back seat, but the relationship allows them to work to one another's strengths and for the all-rounder, that is to be England's star performer. When she steps up, she encourages the rest to follow.

"She's got a massive cricket brain and a huge passion for the England women's side, so it's been a great experience working with her during this World Cup," Sciver-Brunt added.

"She's also massively different from when she was a player. I think being a coach, you can see things from the outside and see how different people work and different people care about what they're doing.

"She's got a great insight into what being a player is, and how that feels, so it's been really great to use that."

It is an interesting contrast to Sciver-Brunt's predecessor Heather Knight, who has been in magnificent batting form since returning to the ranks, but who spoke very candidly before the tournament about the toll that captaincy can take.

Describing it as "all-encompassing", Knight said it was impossible to switch off from the role she fulfilled for nine years.

Edwards is a talismanic figure in English cricket and one of the game's most influential figures. She is media-savvy and unafraid to front up when things have not gone well, which was a difficult part of the job that often fell on Knight during her tenure.

This World Cup semi-final, however, presents Sciver-Brunt with a huge opportunity to quieten the noise surrounding England's ability to perform under pressure, which came to boiling point in the United Arab Emirates last autumn when she had to step in as captain for the second innings as Knight was injured.

The vibe around the team is more of a quiet confidence, but on the field they will look to dominate.

Eight months ago, England were forlorn and distraught on the vast, imposing outfield of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Suddenly, they are one game away from a World Cup final.