Sky Sports activities Cricket’s Lauren Winfield-Hill believes that Heather Knight has confirmed her value for England after dropping the captaincy following a disastrous winter.
Following a 16-0 whitewash within the Ashes, Knight stepped down from her function as captain as Nat Sciver-Brunt took cost, with head coach Jon Lewis making approach for Charlotte Edwards to take over.
The brand new period began with the opening T20I of their sequence towards West Indies as England walked away with a snug eight-wicket win.
Regardless of the refreshed outfit, it was a former skipper Knight (43no) that helped paved the way as England mounted their chase of 147, partnering with Sophia Dunkley (81no) as the important thing duo that shared an unbroken 91-run partnership.
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Lauren Winfield-Hill mentioned Heather Knight’s nice efficiency towards West Indies and the way large this will probably be for her following her lack of captaincy
In the meantime, Sciver-Brunt fell to a two-ball duck.
For Winfield-Hill, it’s a second that can have assuaged Knight’s personal doubts about her function within the facet, reaffirming that she remains to be probably the greatest gamers England has to supply.
“I feel it’ll actually affirm her place on this facet,” Winfield-Hill stated.
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Hayley Matthews accomplished a shocking century off the ultimate ball of West Indies’ innings towards England
“You’re not captain however goodness me you might be nonetheless probably the greatest gamers within the nation.
“There may be no one extra you need striding to the crease in that scenario, a few wickets down, than Heather Knight to see the sport residence.
“Significantly in a chase, she is so good in a chase. She is aware of the tempo, she is aware of her strengths, when to drag the set off.
“That may simply be some good reaffirming for her that she has some actual worth for this facet.
“As a result of, little question, she could have questioned that when dropping her captaincy.”
Dunkley: Knight has been excellent with the group
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England’s Lauren Bell pulled off an excellent catch to dismiss Mandy Mangru
Dunkley was additionally stuffed with reward for her former skipper and batting accomplice, insisting that she has been “excellent” with the group all through the transition from her management into the brand new period.
Certainly, she believes “nothing has modified” with regards to the management that Knight brings for the crew.
“Heather has been excellent across the group,” Dunkley stated.
“She’s a pure chief, everybody respects her, nothing modified in that respect.
“She batted very well, had an excellent partnership, and nice to see her on the market doing what she does greatest.”
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Newly-appointed England’s girls’s cricket head coach Charlotte Edwards says she’s aiming to ‘discover the blueprint’ to assist the crew win main occasions
Whereas Dunkley believes not an excessive amount of has modified for Knight, she admits there’s a totally different feeling beneath new coach Edwards who has advised her to maintain issues “easy” and “calm”.
“Edwards is calm and clear in what she needs to do, we had week going into this sport and it’s nice to begin with a win,” Dunkley added.
“I actually wished to come back out and contribute to the crew and have an effect on the sport and I’m happy to have finished so tonight.
“She’s been clear with me about what she needs me to do, play to my strengths.
“My energy is to hit good and straight and take the sport on after I need to and be clear in my decision-making, nothing too on the market, preserve it easy and that is what I attempted to do tonight.”
England Girls’s summer time fixtures
All instances UK and Eire; all video games stay on Sky Sports activities
T20 worldwide sequence vs West Indies (Could)
One-day worldwide sequence vs West Indies (Could-June)
- First ODI: Friday Could 30 (1pm) – Derby
- Second ODI: Wednesday June 4 (1pm) – Leicester
- Third ODI: Saturday June 7 (11am) – Taunton
T20 worldwide sequence vs India (June-July)
- First T20I: Saturday June 28 (2.30pm) – Trent Bridge
- Second T20I: Tuesday July 1 (6.30pm) – Bristol
- Third T20I: Friday July 4 (6.35pm) – The Kia Oval
- Fourth T20I: Wednesday July 9 (6.30pm) – Emirates Previous Trafford
- Fifth T20I: Saturday July 12 (6.35pm) – Edgbaston
One-day worldwide sequence vs India (July)
- First ODI: Wednesday July 16 (1pm) – Southampton
- Second ODI: Saturday July 19 (11am) – Lord’s
- Third ODI: Tuesday July 22 (1pm) – Chester-le-Road
Watch England’s second T20I worldwide towards West Indies stay on Sky Sports activities Cricket and Sky Sports activities Important Occasion from 6pm on Friday (6.35pm first ball). Stream cricket with NOW
