Wow!
Three months ago, when asked if England could win the up-coming World Cup, Mark Robinson was a bit non-committal:
“You want to win it,” he said, clearly more in hope than expectation.
Now, his New England are World Champions!
And they did it the hard way.
England didn’t dominate the tournament – the Australia game was close… the South Africa semi-final was closer… the final against India was closer still.
With two overs to go, the sensible money was still on India, needing less than a run-a-ball with two wickets in hand. But that reckoned without Anya Shrubsole, holding her nerve for the second time in the knock-out stages: against South Africa, they needed runs – Anya Shrubsole got ’em; against India, they needed wickets – she got ’em! In the end, in a batsman’s tournament, it was a bowler who stood tall at the crucial moments and grabbed hold of the trophy with her Player of the Match performance.
It is truly remarkable – the way that Mark Robinson has, in just 18 months, coaxed England to a whole new level of fitness, of professionalism, of self-belief, of sheer will to win. That has been the difference between England and the other sides – they held their nerve through mini-collapses and dropped catches; they still believed the could do it; their heads didn’t drop, and this is their reward – their World Cup.
But they have Mark Robinson to thank for it.
CRICKETher 
An alternative view is that England, with massively more resources than the Indian players could ever dream of, only won by 9 runs. For me the remarkable thing is not that England beat India but that India, despite massive obstacles, managed to get so close. What would the result have looked like if India had been resourced like England for the past 2 years ?
England might have walked off with the cup but India punched way above their weight.
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Mr Clanger, you are a misarable so and so, surly even you have to give credit where credit is due. Just say well done to everyone, coaches, players the E.C.B everyone concerned in winning the World Cup.
I have just re read you comment after our opening defeat against England and I can almost feel your pleasure. Poring scorn on the coach for daring to believe there was more to come from some players if they where just given the chance.
There where 18 comments after that defeat, a lot more than after Sunday’s historic day which is telling about how some people’s minds work.
Congratulations England, 2017 World Cup winners, who would have thought that was possible after everything that has happened.
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I would not have thought it is in your best interests to abuse contributors to this blog. You might take a different opinion to me but that doesn’t give you the right to characterise me in a derogatory way.
I have also re-read my comment following the defeat to India (which is presumably the one you are referring to even though you have stated it was against England). I have never criticised Mark Robinson in any of the blogs I have contributed and that paragraph doesn’t either. If you believe that pours scorn on the coach then I suggest you get a better grasp of English before abusing people online.
These blogs are not just here to celebrate England success. Their purpose is to promote women’s cricket. The editors put forward a view (which by the way might not be their view) and others add to the narrative by exploring other angles. In his way we all get a wide perspective on issues. In order to ensure that happens, I, and doubtless others, put forward angles and views that may not be their own.
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Just a reminder to all contributors that – while we are happy to encourage healthy debate – we’d rather you didn’t resort to personal insults. The Clanger is a valued contributor to this site and we may have to take a decision about whether we allow future comments to be published if they continue to be personal rather than relating to the subject in hand.
Thanks,
Raf (CRICKETher Editor)
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