England captain an injury doubt on eve of Comm Games

Heather Knight, the captain of one of Australia's main rivals for Commonwealth Games gold, is in a race to be fit for the start of the tournament.

The England skipper, 31, has had an injection in her hip joint amid some irritation just five days out from the start of her side's Games campaign.

The hugely experienced Knight is a key player for the hosts who are second to Australia in the women's T20 world rankings, the format in use at the Games.

Knight's injury precluded her involvement against South Africa at the weekend and she was  absent again on Tuesday as a precaution for the final Twenty20 international as England cruised to a 38-run victory over the tourists in Derby.

England ended the multi-format series unbeaten and in good form five days before they launch their Games campaign.

An England and Wales Cricket Board spokesperson confirmed Knight will "continue to be assessed and treated" ahead of their first Games fixture against Sri Lanka on Saturday at Edgbaston.

England then face South Africa on August 2 before rounding off their Group B campaign against New Zealand on August 4 in cricket's return to the Commonwealth Games after a 24-year absence.

Australia, who launch the tournament against India on Friday, are in Group A with Barbados and Pakistan making up the quartet.

Seventeen-year-old England debutant Freya Kemp finished with 2-18 in Tuesday's final T20 clash with South Africa after Sophie Ecclestone had blasted an English record of 26 off the final over of her side's innings to set the visitors 177 to win.

Sophia Dunkley's departure for a first-ball duck brought Alice Capsey to the crease earlier than she might have expected, but the 17-year-old showed few signs of nerves as she hit a 17-ball 25 before being caught off the bowling of Nonkululeko Mlaba.

Skipper Nat Sciver, deputising for the injured Knight, and Danni Wyatt had put on 45 for the third wicket when Sciver was bowled for 24 by Mlaba, and it was 4-86 a ball later when Wyatt was dismissed in similar fashion by Chloe Tryon having reached 30.

Ecclestone plundered 26 from Masabata Klaas' final over, a haul which included two sixes and three fours, to finish unbeaten on 33 from just 12 balls.

Left-armer Mlaba's career-best 3-22 was the stand-out bowling performance.

Lara Goodall became Issy Wong's first T20 international victim from the fourth delivery of the tourists' reply when she was bowled for two, and Kemp had opener Aneke Bosch stumped for 17.

Laura Wolvaardt's departure for 13 saw them slip to 3-84, and although Tazmin Brits reached 50, she fell to Kemp nine runs later before Capsey and Ecclestone accounted for Mignon Du Preez and Tryon respectively.

2022 Commonwealth Games

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

See all the Commonwealth Games cricket squads here

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

July 29: Australia v India (11am local, 8pm AEST)

July 31: Australia v Barbados (6pm local, 3am Aug 1 AEST)

August 3: Australia v Pakistan (11am local, 8pm AEST)

Semi-finals: August 6, 11am local (8pm AEST) and 6pm local (3am Aug 7 AEST)

Bronze medal match: August 7, 10am local (7pm AEST)

Gold medal match: August 7, 5pm local (2am Aug 8 AEST)

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium