Super League ‘instrumental’ to England’s success, says Georgia Elwiss

The third edition of the Twenty20 league will start in Guildford with Surrey Stars and Southern Vipers in action on Sunday 22 July, one day short of a year from England's win over India in the 2017 World Cup final.

It run ended a period of drought for England as far as world titles were concerned, and having come a year after the Women’s Super League had taken flight, a connection was drawn.

“We could have won it (the World Cup), but it would have been a lot harder (without the league),” Elwiss, who will turn out for Loughborough Lighting, told BBC.

“I've learnt loads from the overseas players coming in, and seeing how they go about their business.”

Elwiss, 27, has played two Tests, 33 one-day internationals and 13 T20 Internationals to date, and though a part of England’s 2017 World Cup squad, she didn’t get a game.

“Also it's bridging a gap and it's brought younger players through, who have performed on that stage and then performed for England, so it's been instrumental in our success,” she added.

Katherine Brunt, the veteran pacer who played all nine games at the marquee event last year, was in agreement with Elwiss.

“Including this new tournament a couple of years ago was a massive shift. The improvements in the standard are really showing,” said Brunt, who is with Yorkshire Diamonds.

“The skill-sets and the power of each team now is two, three or four times what it was.”

"What an opportunity it is for those on the fringes," said England head coach, Mark Robinson. "Every squad is full of world-class players - people you can learn from, look up to in a way and soak up their knowledge.

"It's not for me to make a prediction on who's going to win but I'm really looking forward to the tournament."