England’s penultimate group stage game was already a tantalising prospect. It is the first time they’re facing Australia since the fateful Ashes at the start of the year – a series where England did not register a point.
Both sides are unbeaten in the tournament so far.
Now, one of them is without their captain.
Healy has history against England in World Cups, most famously with her brutal 170 to take the game away from England in the final of the previous edition in Christchurch in 2022. So losing her is a significant blow for the defending champions.
However, they have the greatest strength in depth in the women’s game.
Healy’s are big shoes to fill for youngster Voll, who is yet to feature in the tournament, but she stepped up with confidence when Healy suffered a similar injury during the Ashes and was ruled out of the T20 matches. Meanwhile, McGrath has plenty of captaincy experience in her absence.
But against a team of such class, England have got to grasp every benefit they possibly can. They have looked much more composed and settled under Charlotte Edwards, but it is time for them to show whether those Ashes wounds have healed.
