Positive England aim to inspire at T20 World Cup

Despite the stitches in her lip after being hit by the ball during a warm-up match against South Africa, Heather Knight is in good spirits before her side’s first outing at the Women’s T20 World Cup.

The skipper is calm but positive – which seems to be a buzzword for the brand of cricket she wants her side to play under new coach Jon Lewis.

“I’d say it’s the best vibe I’ve felt from a group going into a World Cup before,” Knight, who is part of a World Cup squad for the 10th time, told BBC Sport.

“We’re really clear on how we want to do things, and the warm-ups have been a real success in that regard.

“Now, it’s just about taking that mentality under pressure into the big games, and replicate that again to go out and do our thing.”

The side have things to put right from the previous T20 World Cup, too. England lost their first group-stage game to South Africa, which cost them down the line when their semi-final against India was washed out.

With no reserve days, India automatically went through after topping their group, when England were second.

“I’ve learned you need to start fast in T20 World Cups,” said Knight, 32. “If you slip up early it can cost you, and the games come at you thick and fast. In T20, anyone can beat anyone so you have to start well.”

But the mood around the team is positive and relaxed, with England enjoying the benefits of a fresh coach and an injection of youth in the side with the likes of Alice Capsey and Lauren Bell supporting the experience of Knight, Nat and Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt.

“The women’s game is changing all the time and we want to be ahead of the curve with that,” added Knight.

“Jon has given us real clarity and positivity. He wants us to inspire and to entertain, and we’re looking forward to taking teams on more than we have previously.”

‘The WPL is a bit of a distraction’

Despite the attention and magnitude of a World Cup, another cricketing event is lurking – not even in the background, but right in the middle of it.

The auction for the Women’s Premier League, a women’s edition of the world’s biggest Twenty20 franchise competition, the Indian Premier League, takes place on Monday, 13 February.

It is set to be a game-changing moment for women’s cricket, and all England’s players have put their names into the draft. As a result, there has been plenty of debate and discussion around who will be picked up, and for how much.

“Talking about it is completely fine, we do talk about it as a group,” said Knight. “It’s going to be a bit of a distraction, that’s a given – it will be for the other teams, too.

“But people will deal with it in different ways. It’s just about discussing how it might affect you as an individual and working through that whether it’s positive or negative, if you get picked up or you don’t.

“It might put added pressure if someone gets picked up at a high price, for example, so we’ve just got to keep talking about it and I’ve got to keep everyone focused on what we are here to do.”

Sciver-Brunt ‘reignited’ by new environment

Fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt was part of the side that won the inaugural women’s T20 World Cup in 2009, the first and last time England won the title.

Sciver-Brunt, 37, has faced injury setbacks in the latter stages of her career and discussions around her retirement have lingered each time, but she says Lewis’ appointment as head coach and the development of the women’s game has sparked more desire to continue.

“If I stop now I’d be happy, but lots of things happen in short spaces of time,” she said.

“Jon Lewis coming in has just reignited some stuff and the environment’s amazing.”

Sciver-Brunt received one of England’s first central contracts in 2014 but since then, the domestic game has developed its professionalism and with the emergence of The Hundred, young players have increased opportunities in the sport.

“I can see the future these girls have got and I’m jealous, I’m not going to lie!” she said. “The things that are happening are extremely positive.”

And in terms of her future, that positivity and opportunity has presented a bit more of a dilemma.

“Where I was clear [about my future] five months ago, I’m now unclear,” Sciver-Brunt added. “If we won the World Cup that could be a really good time to stop and five months ago I had promised everyone that’s what I would do.

“But if we don’t win, then the Ashes are two seconds away. I would still be bowling and still be fit. It’s not something I can say ‘no’ to just yet.”