Cricket World Cup: England’s Tammy Beaumont sets sights on big runs against impressive West Indies

England take on West Indies next after a narrow opening defeat by Australia

Tammy Beaumont in action against Australia (Getty Images)

Tammy Beaumont is ready to build on her 74 in the opening loss to Australia in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 as England take on the West Indies.

England fell 12 runs short in their chase of 310 against their Ashes rivals, with Beaumont one of four players to make over 70, and will be hoping for more of the same in Dunedin on Tuesday (10pm GMT).

Stafanie Taylor’s Windies upset hosts New Zealand with a last-over win in the opening game of the tournament, but the White Ferns bounced back when Suzie Bates scored 79 not out in a nine-wicket win over Bangladesh at the University Oval yesterday.

Beaumont said: “I didn’t watch yesterday but obviously for Suzie to score runs on the home ground, great for her and I think so far the tournament has shown it is really high-scoring grounds and high-scoring games of cricket.

“As a batter, that’s good to see knowing that you’re going to get value for shots and can build those innings in all the venues that we’ve got so far. For me, I’m rubbing my hands and ready to get out there.”

Dunedin is hosting its third game on the same wicket with Monday’s clash between New Zealand and Bangladesh heavily affected by rain.

The damp conditions and used wicket brought spinners into that game but Beaumont is not expecting a different approach from their match against Australia.

She said: “I don’t necessarily think there’s too much to change in approach to the game. Although we didn’t get over the line, that’s the highest we’ve chased in a chase. We could probably have tightened up a little bit in the field and with the ball, we bowled quite a few extras.

“I don’t think the strategy is going to be too different, our bowling tactics have been exceptional for a number of years now in both ODI and T20 cricket.

“I’m fully backing the likes of Katherine Brunt, Anya Shrubsole and Kate Cross they’ve all been absolutely exceptional for us - Sophie Ecclestone I think is the best spinner in the world in my opinion.”

Beaumont will be coming up against a familiar face in Deandra Dottin, the final-over hero of the Windies’ surprise win first up.

Dottin was part of the London Spirit side that also featured Beaumont and England captain Heather Knight.

Skipper Taylor and Hayley Matthews, who blasted 119 to set up the New Zealand win, also played in the Hundred – and for all-rounder Chinelle Henry that experience will be invaluable

She said: “It really is [useful]. In our squad, we have a lot of young players who’ve never really played at this level before.

“And to have those players in our set-up, who could help us on the day, just helps each and every one of us to go out there and say ‘Ok, they have the experience, they’ve played against these people before.’

“That knowledge, and also the help of the analysts and stuff like that, that’s what helped us to go out there on the day and execute.”

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