Captain Knott ready for new gig after breakout UK season

Charli Knott swapped a typical preseason for an extended stint in the United Kingdom, and it has the talented allrounder primed to lead Australia A in this week’s four-day game against India A on the Gold Coast.

Knott will make her Australia A captaincy debut in the red-ball game that will round out the multi-format tour, after deputising for Tahlia McGrath during the six white-ball games.

The 21-year-old Queenslander has entered the 2024-25 season off the back of her first off-season spent playing domestic cricket in the UK.

Knott signed on to play for the Southern Vipers in England’s domestic white-ball competitions and did not just make a good impression, she dominated.

The allrounder was leading the player-of-the-tournament voting in the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint trophy when the competition took its mid-season break for The Hundred.

Her return to Australia meant she will miss the remainder of the season, but in her nine matches she scored 346 runs at 49.42, including her first List A century and two fifties, while she was third on the wicket-taking table with her off-spin, taking 16 wickets at 21 with an economy rate of 4.72.

In the T20 Charlotte Edwards Cup Knott enjoyed similar success with the ball, finishing as the competition’s second-highest wicket taker with 16 in 11 matches at 14.93.

"It was a great opportunity to just play lots of cricket, different conditions, different teams, and I learnt a lot about my game over there, which is very helpful," Knott told cricket.com.au.

"And it was just good to play back-to-back games for a long period of time … I think the fact that there was probably a little bit less emphasis on training, it just forced you to be ready and prepared for the next game because it was always one round the corner, so it didn't allow for much time to dwell on past performances and really just focus in on the next one coming up.

"Overall, it was just a good learning opportunity, so I didn't put too much pressure on myself, which I think helped.

"Generally, the purpose of me going to England was to learn how I want to play my game, and I learned more on the tactical side of things, rather than technical, which was the major focus while I was over there, and I think I achieved that."

Knott is no stranger to leading teams, having captained various underage Queensland teams while coming through the pathways.

She also led a team in the Australia A intra-squad ‘Green v Gold’ red-ball game in Adelaide earlier this year, and has filled in as Queensland’s senior vice-captain.

But this is her most senior role to date and an indication of the potential Australian selectors see in her.

"It's a great opportunity, I had a little bit of experience in the three-day game earlier this year, which is helpful, but I'm definitely looking forward to the opportunity to lead the team, and hopefully we can put in some strong performances," Knott said.

"So I have a little bit of experience, but not heaps in the main leadership role.

"It's a good challenge, it's good to make me think about all the little things and all the little tactics that go on behind the scenes and trying to get someone out … and it's nice working with the bowlers to figure out those plans."

Australia A will hope to bounce back in the red-ball game after a disappointing final 50-over game in Mackay.

After dominating the three T20s and first two one-dayers, they were bowled out for 72 chasing India A’s 9-243.

But after several days to regroup and switch their attention to the longest form of the game on the Gold Coast, Knott said the squad was eager for a rare red-ball chance.

"I think I've played two red-ball games in my career so far, so it's definitely something new," Knott said.

"But I do like the opportunity, and it's obviously a longer game, so you have more time to focus on the tactical side of things and how you're trying to set people up and get them out and whatnot.

"It's always fun learning about new players and what they're good at and how you can try and combat that."

Women’s Australia A v India A Series

First T20: Australia won by five runs

Second T20: Australia won by eight wickets

Third T20: Australia won by seven wickets

Australia A squad: Maitlan Brown, Maddy Darke, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum (wk), Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Nicola Hancock, Charli Knott (vc), Katie Mack, Tahlia McGrath (c), Grace Parsons, Kate Peterson, Tayla Vlaeminck, Tahlia Wilson

First ODI: Australia A won by four wickets

Second ODI: Australia A won by eight wickets

Third ODI: India A won by 171 runs 

Australia A squad: Maitlan Brown, Maddy Darke, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum (wk), Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Nicola Hancock, Charli Knott (vc), Katie Mack, Tahlia McGrath (c), Grace Parsons, Kate Peterson, Tayla Vlaeminck, Tahlia Wilson

Four-day match: August 22-25, Gold Coast District Cricket Club, 9.30am

Australia A squad: Maitlan Brown, Maddy Darke (wk), Sophie Day, Emma de Broughe, Nicole Faltum (vc), Tess Flintoff, Charli Knott (c), Katie Mack, Lilly Mills, Grace Parsons, Kate Peterson, Courtney Sippel, Georgia Voll

India A squad: Minnu Mani (c), Shweta Sehrawat (vc), Priya Punia, Shubha Satheesh, Tejal Hasabnis, Kiran Navgire, Sajana Sajeevan, Uma Chetry (wk), Shipra Giri (wk), Raghavi Bisht, Saika Ishaque, Mannat Kashyap, Tanuja Kanwar, Priya Mishra, Meghna Singh, Sayali Satghare, Shabnam Shakeel (subject to fitness), S Yashasri. Standby: Saima Thakor