Anya determined to retain the ICC World Cup

England begin the defence of the ICC Cricket World Cup in the early hours of Saturday morning when they take on bitter rivals Australia in their opening match.

Somerset and Western Storm bowler, Anya Shrubsole was the star of the victory over India in the final at Lord’s in 2017, and we caught up with her this morning to discuss England’s chances of staying on top of the world.

How are preparations going for the defence of your world cup title?

Preparations are going really well. We’ve had two really positive warm up games where everyone has had time in the middle with bat and ball, so we’re well placed going into the first game.

What’s the mood in the camp like?

The mood in the camp is genuinely very good. Everyone is really excited to get the tournament underway.

How did you cope with the bubble life when the team arrived in New Zealand?

Quarantine is always tough, there’s no getting away from that. Luckily, it got shortened from 10 to seven days whilst we were there, so that was good. I think people appreciated a little rest though after the grueling Ashes schedule, but there was definitely some cabin fever by the end!

Was there anyone in particular who stepped up to make that time more enjoyable?

Sophie Ecclestone ran a circuit session during one of our outdoor slots and Freya Davies held a very entertaining quiz!

How good was it to finally get out there on the grass?

It was amazing to be able to get to Queenstown for some outdoor time and a bit of light training. It’s one of the most beautiful places around so we consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to go there.

You must be pleased with how the warm up games have gone.

The warm up games have gone really well and everyone is feeling well prepared for the tournament.

You start with a game against Australia, are you more determined than ever to beat them after what happened this winter?

We want to beat every team that we play, and Australia is no different. It was a challenging Ashes series but we believe that if we play our best cricket we’ll be really competitive.

Obviously winning the tournament was incredible, but what would it mean to retain it?

It would mean a huge amount to retain the title. It’s something that’s very challenging to do, and to be the first England team to retain the trophy would be something very special.

Do you genuinely think you can win it again?

Of course we do, otherwise there wouldn’t be any point turning up!

What will be the keys to success?

The keys will be lots of people contributing to the team and putting in match-winning performances.

Who are the players that we should be looking out for? Who could be England’s title winner this time around?

Genuinely anyone could, but I’m backing Tammy (Beaumont) and Sophie (Ecclestone) to be putting in some big performances throughout the tournament.

Who are your most dangerous opponents?

Australia are obviously the favourites and New Zealand look like they’ve come into form at just the right time.

Since you lifted the trophy at Lord’s, the women’s game has developed at an incredible rate. How proud are you that you are one of the catalysts for that?

I think the whole tournament was a huge catalyst for Women’s cricket, both globally and in England. Things are just developing so fast and I don’t see it stopping any time soon.

It’s going to be another busy year for England. The schedule will see you playing a Test at The Cooper Associates County Ground again this year. How proud are you that your home club is staging such a prestigious fixture?

It’s always a huge honour to be back at Taunton in an England shirt. I have such fond memories of the ground and my time there, so being able to have another Test match there will be special.