Whether England wants to admit it or not, she has something to prove.

Just over a month after their disastrous group stage exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup, Heather Knight’s side are in South Africa for a multi-format series, followed by the Women’s Ashes in Australia in January.

The first of three T20s begins on Sunday (12:00 GMT), followed by three one-day internationals and then a four-day Test begins on December 15.

It’s a quick turnaround after such a disappointing World Cup campaign, but seamer Kate Cross, who is part of the ODI and Test squads, believes it will benefit England.

“Years ago, if you got knocked out of a World Cup you had to wait until the summer to play cricket again and prove yourself,” Cross told the BBC’s No Balls podcast.

“But I feel like cricket came back on our horizon so quickly after that, against the team that lost the final, so we know we have a chance to compete against a really strong team in their own right. conditions and you are I immediately returned to the fight.

The fallout from the World Cup was probably the toughest an England women’s team has faced, a stark reminder of the heightened attention and expectations that come with the privilege of being a professional athlete.

The team’s physical fitness was called into question, as well as their off-field activities and social media presence.

Knight and head coach Jon Lewis dismissed the accusations and naturally defended their team, but acknowledged their need to improve in pressure moments – although that’s something they’ve been saying for almost two years .

Against South Africa, finalists of the said World Cup, England have a chance to change these perceptions before entering the pressure cooker of the Ashes.