Ismail and Kapp pose fiercest pace test for England at Women’s World Cup

Into the business end we go. After two wins from three, England Women face the first of their final four group stage matches that can set up their route to World Cup success. It could just as easily send them careering off the road.

They have yet to play the defending champions, Australia, who they meet here on Sunday, and a strong New Zealand side who will be their opponents at Derby next Wednesday. An underwhelming, unpredictable West Indies – winless from their three matches so far – would love an upset to finish their disappointing campaign on Saturday week.

On Wednesday in Bristol, England face one of the world’s most improved sides in South Africa. Through a combination of greater focus and increased funding, starting in October 2013 with the awarding of central contracts to six players, the Proteas have built a skills-rich and culturally diverse squad.

At the helm is Dane van Niekerk, their 24-year-old captain and one of two leg-spinning all-rounders, whose straight-talking is refreshing. A case in point, her words after taking four wickets for zero runs in their previous match to dismiss West Indies for just 48 on Sunday: “Not to sound naive, but the ball’s not coming out great. I don’t know what happened. I can’t tell you what happened. I bowled so many full tosses in the nets.”

It is in their fast bowling reserves that South Africa pack the biggest punch with Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail – two genuine quicks who are the perfect buddy-cop blend of “by-the-book” and untameable maverick; role model and cult hero respectively.

Kapp is an all-rounder by choice and the No1-ranked ODI bowler by feat – a traditional outswing bowler who excels wherever she is in the world, consistently impressing in the Big Bash League. Ice in her veins, heat from her hands.

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Ismail, by contrast, is fuelled by fire. She rates herself as the quickest bowler going and has been clocked at 79mph. Her inspiration growing up was André Nel and it shows beyond adopting his number on her back (89). While Nel would summon the fury of his in-game persona “Gunther” to get himself going, Ismail has found it hard to leave her own Gunther on the field. In July 2014, she was suspended by Cricket South Africa for alcohol abuse. She does not do things by halves.

Together, they have combined for nine wickets in two matches (their game against New Zealand was rained off). By contrast, England’s pace duo of Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole, both carrying injuries, have only two from three between them. “I’ve got the best opening pair in the world,” said Van Niekerk in the pre-match press conference. “I’ll put my head on the block for that one.”

England are wary of the challenge ahead of them. Mark Robinson’s first tour as head coach was away to South Africa at the start of 2016, winning 2-1 in both the ODIs and T20s. The players, too, know exactly what to expect: women’s cricket is a small world and both Kapp (Surrey Stars) and Ismail (Yorkshire Diamonds) have played in the Kia Super League.

After preparing against spin for the challenges of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, pace bowlers have been brought in for training – a mixture of local men’s league bowlers and a number of England academy players, including left-armer Tash Farrant who missed out on making the World Cup squad.

England’s captain, Heather Knight, remains confident her batting lineup can combat what will be sent down from Kapp, Ismail and anybody else. Robinson was especially punchy. “We love pace,” he said. “England players are brought up on pace. A lot of our players got brought up playing club cricket against men, so they naturally want pace on the ball.”