Women's World Cup: England have nothing to lose, says Anya Shrubsole

Anya Shrubsole (centre) was player of the match in the final when England won the World Cup in 2017

England have "nothing to lose" in their World Cup opener against Australia, according to bowler Anya Shrubsole.

"There's no getting away from the fact it was a really difficult tour," said Shrubsole.

"It's completely behind us and we're really excited to start our World Cup."

England enter the tournament in New Zealand as defending champions having lifted the trophy on home soil in 2017.

However, in the five years since, Australia have taken two Ashes series, two T20 World Cups and, at one stage, won 26 consecutive one-day internationals.

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"There's no getting away from the fact they are favourites going into this tournament," added 30-year-old pace bowler Shrubsole, who was player of the match in the 2017 final.

"We don't really have anything to lose."

Australia will be without all-rounder Ash Gardner, who has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the games against England and Pakistan.

The World Cup is being played against the backdrop of a surge in the Omicron variant in New Zealand and the International Cricket Council has ruled that matches can take place if a team has a minimum of nine fit players.

Australia captain Meg Lanning says that Gardner is currently an isolated case.

"There were a few nerves around as to whether it had spread through the group, but we've been doing everything we possibly can to avoid that," explained Lanning.

"In a way, it's inevitable given the amount of cases in New Zealand. We expected that it could happen, but that we've been able to isolate it to Ash is a really good sign."

Shrubsole said that Gardner's positive test will put all eight teams in the tournament on "high alert".

"I'd have been amazed if it had been a Covid-free tournament," said Shrubsole. "Fingers crossed there's not too much of it around and we can have a really good tournament."

Shrubsole also confirmed that England will take the knee before every game. New Zealand and West Indies both did the same before the tournament opener in Tauranga on Friday.

"It's something we feel really strongly about, that racism and any form of segregation isn't welcome in sport," said Shrubsole.

"We feel really strongly as a group, that as sportspeople on a global stage we have a real platform to show that any kind of prejudice is not welcome."