Captain Heather Knight says England “are not completely lost without me” following a dismal T20 World Cup exit final month when she was off the sector injured.
Knight hobbled off with a calf drawback throughout her aspect’s remaining group sport in opposition to the West Indies within the UAE after which watched on from the dugout as Nat Sciver-Brunt skippered the aspect and 5 dropped catches helped England’s opponents canter to an eight-wicket win.
Head coach Jon Lewis has mentioned since that tournament-ending defeat that the staff have “some work to do around developing the next group of leaders”.
Knight – talking forward of Sunday’s first T20 worldwide in South Africa, reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket from 12pm – informed reporters: “There are a huge amount of leaders in this group. I think that spell [against West Indies] is an unfair representation of the leaders we have.
“I actually do really feel the likes of Nat [Sciver-Brunt], Amy [Jones], Sophie [Ecclestone], have grown into that function of senior gamers.
“I’m nonetheless having fun with main the group and a part of that function is to develop folks round me and develop these youthful gamers the place they will virtually lead themselves. That may be a focus for me.
“I do not assume the staff is totally misplaced with out me. I do not assume that is the case, that’s not the narrative I utterly agree with. However there’s room for progress, for positive.
“It did feel like we took a backward step when West Indies came hard against us and we didn’t react exactly how we wanted to. [We want to go back] to that really fearless cricket.
“Groups will come exhausting and it is about being actually calm and solution-focused, grasp in there after which have the ability to throw a couple of punches again.
Knight: Scrutiny will improve as girls’s cricket grows
Ex-England spinner Alex Hartley mentioned the staff wanted to turn out to be fitter as she reacted to their World Cup exit whereas working for the BBC – an evaluation Lewis “100 per cent” disagrees with.
Requested what she fabricated from the criticism her aspect confronted and whether or not they now have a “point to prove” in opposition to South Africa within the three T20s, three ODIs and sole Take a look at match, Knight mentioned: “As the game grows and there are more eyes on us, more reward for being an international cricketer, that scrutiny is going to increase.
“That may be a good signal of the place issues are at.
“In terms of moving on from it, it’s looking at the people around you, being strong in the group, staying tight. The biggest opinions to us are the ones in this circle and the people around us.”
“I guess it’s a good media narrative to write but I don’t think there are a huge amount of points to prove. We learnt a lot from the World Cup and want to show we have improved.
“It is necessary to recollect we now have performed some sensible cricket.
“It is a bit of a bump in the road, one that will keep us humble and motivated to get better and highlighted a few things we need to do a little bit better.
“I believe it is actually necessary we do not rip up bushes as a result of we had a foul 10 overs however we talked as a gaggle and wish to use it to be taught and develop and do issues a bit bit higher.
“There doesn’t need to be huge change. We have had team get-togethers at the start of this trip about how we get clarity and move on.”
England in South Africa fixtures (all reside on Sky Sports activities)
All instances UK and Eire
T20 sequence
- First T20: Sunday November 24 (12pm, East London)
- Second T20: Wednesday November 27 (4pm, Benoni)
- Third T20: Saturday November 30 (4pm, Centurion)
ODI sequence
- First ODI: Wednesday December 4 (12pm, Kimberley)
- Second ODI: Sunday December 8 (8am, Durban)
- Third ODI: Wednesday December 11 (12pm, Potchefstroom)
Take a look at match
- One-off Take a look at: Sunday December 15-Wednesday December 18 (8am, Bloemfontein)
Watch England’s all-format tour of South Africa reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket from November 24 till December 18.