New leadership keeping England refreshed – Capsey

All-rounder Alice Capsey says new captain and coach duo Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards have given England a freshness as they look to stretch their unbeaten run in the World Cup against Pakistan.

Sciver-Brunt’s side have beaten South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka so far, and will be favourites against a winless Pakistan in Colombo on Wednesday.

Capsey, who is batting at seven and providing a fourth spin option, also emphasised the importance of taking winning momentum into crunch games at the end of the group stage against India, Australia and New Zealand.

“The change in leadership with Nat and Lottie coming in has been really refreshing, in the sense that we’re talking about the game in a different way,” Capsey told BBC Sport.

“Lottie is so experienced, and being able to learn from her not only as a coach but from what she achieved as a player, it’s amazing.

“It would be greatly appreciated [to face India still unbeaten]. But every team brings a different challenge, and especially in these conditions a team like Pakistan can definitely pose a threat, perhaps a different one to what we are used to.

“I know they haven’t won a game so far but they are definitely not a team we are taking lightly.”

Capsey made a vital 20 in the tense, low chase against Bangladesh but fell for a duck against Sri Lanka as she was victim to sharp turn from Inoka Ranaweera.

The 21-year-old has significant T20 experience in India from playing for Delhi Capitals but is playing in her first 50-over World Cup, and says the spin-friendly conditions are posing a new challenge for her.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” said Capsey.

“All the pitches during the WPL were quite flat and there wasn’t anything like the turn and bounce we’ve had so far. It’s been a real learning curve but an amazing one to learn from.

“I’m expanding my game and developing as a batter as we go, and just watching how Nat and Heather Knight have gone about it has been hugely important for me, being able to pick their brains when I need to.”

The simmering narrative behind England’s wins is that they are yet to be properly challenged – the middle-order wobble against Bangladesh being the only period of substantial pressure so far.

But Capsey emphasised the importance of controlling what is in their own hands, and focusing on the task one game at a time.

That has been evident in England’s body language on the field, the relaxed nature off it and the smiles on all their faces – of course helped by the winning run, but it is a stark contrast to the winless team that toured Australia at the beginning of the year.

“It’s infectious, when the mood in the camp is good and training has been brilliant,” said Capsey.

“So to know that’s coming across in the game is awesome. It’s a happy group at the minute.”

She also added that they would use the Ashes disappointment to “push forward” in the World Cup.

“That was a tour where none of us was proud of what we did on the pitch,” Capsey added.

“But that was an opportunity for us to reflect, it’s a good way to draw a line in the sand and use that momentum to push forward as a group.