England’s captain, Heather Knight, has set a bold challenge for her squad to dominate regional cricket this summer. With the T20 World Cup and Ashes looming later this year, Knight hopes domestic players will seize the opportunity to stake their claim for selection.
The Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, a 50-over competition, kicks off on Saturday. While many of England’s centrally-contracted players will miss the opening weekend due to Tammy Beaumont’s wedding, they will have chances to feature for their regions before the T20I series against Pakistan on May 11.
“It’s never a closed door,” Knight emphasized. “The standard of regional games has skyrocketed, so performances are more valuable. We want England players to dominate and put their names forward for selection.”
Competition for places in England’s T20 setup is fierce ahead of the World Cup in Bangladesh. Knight is encouraged by the recent 4-1 series win in New Zealand and the return of Mahika Gaur and Freya Kemp from injury.
“We have a real depth of players,” Knight said. “It makes selection tougher, but it’s a good place to be. With the World Cup in October, we need to keep moving forward.”
Maia Bouchier emerged as a breakout star in New Zealand, finishing as the leading run-scorer. Knight praised her talent and ability to convert it into performances.
“She’s someone you watch and think, ‘how does she play that shot?'” Knight said. “She’s had a brilliant tour, and now it’s about building on that consistency.”
Edgbaston has already sold over 10,000 tickets for England’s opening T20I against Pakistan. Knight believes the joint marketing campaign with the men’s series can build on the success of last summer’s Ashes.
“It was an awesome summer to be involved with,” Knight said. “We felt the support and momentum for cricket around the country. Hopefully, we can put on a show.”
