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| |  Friday, 15 December, 2000, 18:12 GMT Planning for the future England: Something to look forward to? by BBC Sport Online's Robin Scott-Elliot Like their male counterparts, England's women face the daunting prospect of hosting the Australians this summer. Unlike the men, the women will not face the world's best side with a winter of content behind them. But while Nasser Hussain's side have the glory now, Clare Connor's team hope to lay claim to the future.
They disappointed in the World Cup, failing to make their last four target, but of the 18 strong squad that trained prior to the competition - seven were teenagers. From that squad only Barbara Daniels is likely to be missing when the next World Cup takes place in four years time. That competition in South Africa is the aim - by then the current squad should be at their peak. "We would have settled for the semi finals so it is a disappointment," said Gill McConway, the ECB's national manager for women's cricket. "But we have a long term plan to work with a squad towards the next World Cup in South Africa. "This was one hell of an experience for them and they had to dig very deep - what will they be like in four years time? It is very exciting."
McConway combines enthusiasm for the future with lashings of realism. "There are two key things. One, we have a very young side. "Two, if you look at this side of the world we struggle to find anyone to play who can really provide a challenge. "We have talented players but they do not, week in, week out, get the tough opposition they need. "We need to look at the domestic programme - we have to look at how to get the top players playing regularly against each other." McConway is prepared to instigate change, even in directions that are sure to provoke the reactionaries. "It is possible we may have to find a level in the boys game for our better players.
"That may be an option. It is not up to me, it's up to the coaches. It has not been discussed but it is a possibility." England's failings in New Zealand are not hard to pinpoint. In the four games they lost, they failed to post a total beyond 150. Charlotte Edwards against Holland and Claire Taylor against Sri Lanka were England's century makers in the competition, but there was a lack of consistency overall. Of Edwards' 157 runs in the tournament 139 came in one innings. Jane Cassar's top score was 63 with 92 runs in total, while the experienced Daniels averaged a disappointing 22. "Looking at it from a piece of paper, the batting struggled. A couple of key players didn't come off.
"The result against South Africa was a bit of a shock - we had comfortably beaten them last summer." It was that five wicket defeat that effectively eliminated England. It was a game they could have been won, as was the eight run defeat by India. But even if they had reached the semi finals, further progress would have been unlikely. England have lost their last 13 games to New Zealand and Australia are, well, Australia. So while there may be plenty to look forward to, it might be best to look away next summer.
"It will be very challenging. The team will have to show strength of character. "But it is part of our build up - our main goal is South Africa," said McConway. Before then a new coach will have to be found to replace Paul Farbrace. There is a chance, and a need, that it will be a full time position. That, though, depends on lottery funding and lottery funding comes with conditions. "If we don't show growth and success the time will come when it will affect funding," said McConway. | | Internet links:  The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Womens World Cup stories now: Links to more Womens World Cup stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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