Latest news with #Knight-StokesCup
Glasgow Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Heather Knight aiming for World Cup as she recovers from hamstring injury
The 34-year-old's summer was ruined by a significant hamstring tendon issue suffered during last month's T20 clean sweep against the West Indies. Unable to feature in the upcoming series against India, she has instead booked a holiday to Switzerland and plans to watch Sarina Wiegman's England launch their European Championship title defence with Group D fixtures against France and the Netherlands in Zurich on July 5 and 9. England batter Heather Knight hopes to be fit for the World Cup (Ben Whitley/PA) This year's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in India is scheduled to begin on September 30, with England's opening match coming against South Africa on October 3. 'That World Cup is what I'm aiming for, it's what I've got my sights set on,' Knight told the PA news agency 'There's always bumps in the road with rehab but hopefully everything goes smoothly and I can be back early September and get a bit of cricket in before the World Cup. 'Things are tracking pretty well to hopefully be fit for that. It's healing well. 'We're not gonna rush things. It's a pretty gnarly injury: I ripped off the tendon quite well from the bone, so I have to be a little bit careful coming back.' Heather Knight has given her name to a new national state school competition – the Knight-Stokes Cup – which was announced on Thursday (Jed Leicester/MCC/PA) Knight, who sat out three subsequent ODIs against the Windies and is also missing London Spirit's title defence in this season's Hundred, was on crutches for two weeks but avoided surgery. She is determined to make the most of her enforced absence amid the 'extremely dull' rehabilitation process. 'I'm going to Switzerland next week to watch the Lionesses play, so that's something I wouldn't have been able to do if I was playing cricket,' said Knight. 'I always love watching women's sport and it's the opportunity to go to a pretty cool country. 'I know a few of the players loosely: I've done a few bits with Leah (Williamson, England captain) and come across a few of the girls at events. England's footballers became European champions in 2022 (Danny Lawson/PA) 'It's really cool to see what they've done for women's sport in this country. 'Hopefully they can be successful because that Euros win in the UK (in 2022) was a really special moment for women's sport in this country and changed the face of football.' It has been difficult few months for Knight. She was stripped of the England captaincy following nine years in the role in the wake of an Ashes humiliation in Australia before sustaining the long-term injury in the early weeks of the new era under head coach Charlotte Edwards. 'The Ashes was pretty tough; I was sad that things had ended like that but the ECB decided they wanted me to have a fresh start and that was their decision and completely fine,' she said of the captaincy, which passed to Nat Sciver-Brunt. Great to have two of the driving forces behind the Knight Stokes Cup at Lord's today! — Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 26, 2025 'I'm still very motivated to keep playing for England.' Alongside England men's captain Ben Stokes, Knight has given her name to a new national state school competition, which will launch in 2026 and conclude with finals at Lord's. The Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup – named after two of England's greatest state-educated cricketers and the brainchild of another ex-England skipper, Michael Vaughan – aims to drive state school participation in the sport. 'It's really important that we keep making cricket accessible,' said Knight. 'I'm really proud to put my name to it.' :: Schools can sign up for the inaugural Knight-Stokes Cup at
The Herald Scotland
26-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Heather Knight aiming for World Cup as she recovers from hamstring injury
Unable to feature in the upcoming series against India, she has instead booked a holiday to Switzerland and plans to watch Sarina Wiegman's England launch their European Championship title defence with Group D fixtures against France and the Netherlands in Zurich on July 5 and 9. England batter Heather Knight hopes to be fit for the World Cup (Ben Whitley/PA) This year's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in India is scheduled to begin on September 30, with England's opening match coming against South Africa on October 3. 'That World Cup is what I'm aiming for, it's what I've got my sights set on,' Knight told the PA news agency 'There's always bumps in the road with rehab but hopefully everything goes smoothly and I can be back early September and get a bit of cricket in before the World Cup. 'Things are tracking pretty well to hopefully be fit for that. It's healing well. 'We're not gonna rush things. It's a pretty gnarly injury: I ripped off the tendon quite well from the bone, so I have to be a little bit careful coming back.' Heather Knight has given her name to a new national state school competition – the Knight-Stokes Cup – which was announced on Thursday (Jed Leicester/MCC/PA) Knight, who sat out three subsequent ODIs against the Windies and is also missing London Spirit's title defence in this season's Hundred, was on crutches for two weeks but avoided surgery. She is determined to make the most of her enforced absence amid the 'extremely dull' rehabilitation process. 'I'm going to Switzerland next week to watch the Lionesses play, so that's something I wouldn't have been able to do if I was playing cricket,' said Knight. 'I always love watching women's sport and it's the opportunity to go to a pretty cool country. 'I know a few of the players loosely: I've done a few bits with Leah (Williamson, England captain) and come across a few of the girls at events. England's footballers became European champions in 2022 (Danny Lawson/PA) 'It's really cool to see what they've done for women's sport in this country. 'Hopefully they can be successful because that Euros win in the UK (in 2022) was a really special moment for women's sport in this country and changed the face of football.' It has been difficult few months for Knight. She was stripped of the England captaincy following nine years in the role in the wake of an Ashes humiliation in Australia before sustaining the long-term injury in the early weeks of the new era under head coach Charlotte Edwards. 'The Ashes was pretty tough; I was sad that things had ended like that but the ECB decided they wanted me to have a fresh start and that was their decision and completely fine,' she said of the captaincy, which passed to Nat Sciver-Brunt. Great to have two of the driving forces behind the Knight Stokes Cup at Lord's today! — Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 26, 2025 'I'm still very motivated to keep playing for England.' Alongside England men's captain Ben Stokes, Knight has given her name to a new national state school competition, which will launch in 2026 and conclude with finals at Lord's. The Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup – named after two of England's greatest state-educated cricketers and the brainchild of another ex-England skipper, Michael Vaughan – aims to drive state school participation in the sport. 'It's really important that we keep making cricket accessible,' said Knight. 'I'm really proud to put my name to it.' :: Schools can sign up for the inaugural Knight-Stokes Cup at
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
State schools to play cricket at Lord's ground
Precious and Ellen are two of the pupils the MCC foundation hopes to inspire to play cricket [BBC] A new tournament, specifically for state school pupils, has been launched at Lord's cricket ground by former England captains Heather Knight and Michael Vaughan. The Knight-Stokes Cup will be a T20 competition contested next summer via a series of knockout regional qualifiers with the finals to be staged on the main ground at Lord's. Advertisement The tournament will be for school pupils in the Year 10 age group with separate events for boys and girls. It is part of the game's wider efforts to increase opportunities for state school children to play cricket, following a critical report about elitism in the game. Former England captain Heather Knight learned to play cricket at a state school [BBC] A 2023 report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) reported "elitism and class-based discrimination" in the game was partly down to a lack of cricket in state schools and a talent pathway structurally aligned to private schools. The commission said it was "alarmed" by repeated references to "the bank of mum and dad", with respondents to their study stressing the importance of financial support from parents in determining their success. Advertisement The report recommended the historic Eton versus Harrow school matches should not be played at Lord's - but objections by some members of the MCC led to a compromise in which that match - and the annual university match between Oxford and Cambridge - will remain at the ground until at least 2027, when there will be a review. Michael Vaughan helped launch the new competition at an event on Tuesday [BBC] The Knight-Stokes Cup will be held in the summer of 2026 which schools can sign up to now. It's named after Knight and the current England captain Ben Stokes, both of whom learned to play at state schools. Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Foundation will oversee the organisation of the cup in conjunction with regional cricket boards. Advertisement The competition will also provide opportunities for potentially talented cricketers to be spotted at an early age. A number of independent schools have agreed to provide grounds and facilities for state schools to play matches. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Related stories Related internet links
