Heather Knight ruled out of England's summer with hamstring injury
England batter Heather Knight is hoping to be fit for the World Cup after being ruled out of the rest of the international summer with a hamstring tendon injury.
Knight top-scored as England completed a T20 series clean sweep against the West Indies on Monday, but her unbeaten 66 from 47 balls came at a cost as she was unable to field due to injury.
The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Thursday she had sustained a 'significant tendon injury' in her right hamstring, meaning she will miss the three one-day games against the West Indies and the upcoming series against India.
Knight will also be absent for the London Spirit's title defence in this season's Hundred.
However, the ECB is hopeful the former England captain will be available for this year's World Cup in India which is scheduled to start in September.
A statement from the ECB said: 'An MRI scan has revealed that Heather Knight has suffered a significant tendon injury to her right hamstring and will be ruled out of home international cricket and the Hundred in 2025.
'She will now undergo further assessment with the England women's medical team to determine the next steps of her management.
'Although no return date can be set at this stage, it is hoped Heather will be available for selection for the ICC Women's World Cup in September 2025.'
Knight, who was replaced as captain by new head coach Charlotte Edwards, shone in both of her visits to the crease in the T20 series success against the West Indies, scoring 109 runs without losing a wicket.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Boy, three, starved to death and buried in garden by off-grid vegan parents was failed by authorities who feared being branded 'discriminatory'
Police and social workers' fear of being seen as discriminatory may have contributed to the death of a starved toddler who was buried in a garden, a review has suggested. Abiyah Yasharahyalah, aged three, died in early 2020 from a respiratory illness, worsened by a 'restricted' vegan diet which caused severe malnourishment. A review into his parents' contact with authorities found there was a lack of curiosity about how their culture and lifestyle might have impacted on his wellbeing, warning that 'the safeguarding of children being impacted by harmful cultural practice is paramount'. Tai and Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah were jailed for a total of 44 years in December after being convicted of multiple charges including causing or allowing Abiyah's death and child cruelty by failing to provide adequate nourishment or summon medical care. The couple, both degree-educated, were obsessed with 'clean living' but lived in squalor after turning their back on society. Jurors heard they survived on only fruit, nuts and seeds having established a 'kingdom' in which they lived under their own religion and laws. The review said the case demonstrated the need for 'professionals' involved in safeguarding work such as police, health and social workers to 'be confident to ask questions about different cultures and belief systems without fear of being perceived as discriminatory'. It warned: 'Whilst professionals should have a good understanding of the communities they serve, if any family engages in cultural practices which are harmful to children, this must not be overlooked, and the safeguarding of children being impacted by harmful cultural practice is paramount.' The report by Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership, published yesterday, said Abiyah became 'invisible and lost from professional view' following a lack of 'exploration or curiosity' by health visitors. The Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 likely contributed to the 'lack of follow-through activity', it added. Abiyah's birth in 2016 was registered, but he was not seen by medics or professionals after 2018 and his death in January 2020 went unnoticed. Officials only discovered the boy had died almost three years later, after police were asked to conduct a welfare check on the couple. By the time the couple were arrested in December 2022, Abiyah had been dead two years. The pair had been living off-grid in a squalid caravan in Somerset with another young child when a social worker came across a social media video posted by Tai in 2016 in which he referred to a child called Abiyah. Tai, 42, went on to admit that Abiyah was 'dead in a physical sense' but claimed he had been reincarnated. Those words led to the couple's arrests and soon after, Abiyah's body was exhumed at the couple's former address in Birmingham. Abiyah was found to have had severe malnutrition, rickets, anaemia and stunted growth thanks to his limited diet, as well as five fractures that would have caused terrible pain. The Yasharahyalahs' trial at Coventry Crown Court heard that while no cause of death was formally established, experts in court said starvation was probably to blame. Police visited the Handsworth property three times, including in February 2018 when Abiyah was alive. The review stated that with regard to this visit 'no details were recorded' about Abiyah, with his presence 'almost invisible on review of records'. Both the mother and father were said to be members of Royal Ahayah's Witness, described as an 'obscure religious movement based on the belief that mainstream Christianity is designed to subjugate the Black Community..' The review said their hostility towards those in authority caused the focus of professionals to be 'diverted or distracted' from the children's welfare while the couple's numerous name changes and aliases made it more difficult for agencies to track and share information effectively. It noted that Abiyah 'was only ever seen by a small number of professionals during his lifetime, and for a limited time only'. In March 2020, health visitor records said it had been noted at a safeguarding meeting that Abiyah had not been seen by them since his six-week assessment. Authorities showed a 'general lack of knowledge or assessment of the parents' belief systems', leading to an 'insufficient understanding about the impact' on his care, the review said. It added that his parents' behaviour 'often distracted or diverted professional attention' away from his safety and welfare. As part of the review, the views of both parents were sought. Tai refused to be interviewed but Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah, 43, agreed telling the review it was now 'hard to accept that my approach did not lead to the best outcomes for my child and that it took the court process to take me out of that bubble'. She said at the time, she did not think Abiyah needed help with any illness. An NSPCC spokesman said the review 'brings into sharp focus why it is crucial that professionals demonstrate curiosity and scrutiny.'
BBC News
34 minutes ago
- BBC News
Hull FC back-rower Holmes retires at 32
Hull FC back-rower Oliver Holmes has been forced to retire at the age of 32 because of a knee joined the Black and Whites on a two-year deal for the 2025 season but his sole appearance for the club came in the Challenge Cup win over York Acorn in former Castleford Tigers and Warrington man won one cap for England in 2018 and lifted the Challenge Cup with Leigh in 2023."Calling it a day has been one of the hardest decisions I've made throughout my career. The head still wanted to go, but unfortunately the body was saying no," he told the club website., external"I gave myself every chance to get back playing again, but unfortunately that just didn't happen and that's the way it is in sport sometimes."We've tried different injections and I've been for surgery, but things just haven't worked out how I wanted them to on the medical side of things and now's the time to call it a day sadly."
The Independent
39 minutes ago
- The Independent
Tom Aspinall makes vow over Jon Jones retirement jibe: ‘People think I'm joking, but it's the truth'
Tom Aspinall has doubled down on his claim that Jon Jones has retired, telling The Independent: 'People think I'm joking, but it's the truth.' Aspinall has held the interim UFC heavyweight title since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023, when an injured Jon Jones was unable to defend the regular belt against Stipe Miocic. Jones finally returned 12 months later and stopped Miocic, but only after Aspinall made the rare move of defending the interim title, which he retained with a knockout of Curtis Blaydes last July. As a result of the Briton's victory and Jones's success against fellow American Miocic, the pair should have been paired in a title unification bout by now. However, 38-year-old Jones has refused to commit to such a contest, never publicly saying he will fight Aspinall, 32. That led the Wigan heavyweight to tell Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier, two of Jones's former opponents, this week: 'Jon's retired [...] The guy's living his best life, he's had a fantastic career, we all know. We know Jon's a religious man, so I want to say: God bless him moving forward with what he does in his life and career. 'We move on. I'm the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, I'm ready to take on all comers, get this division moving again. Us guys have been waiting around too long. The contenders are getting sick of it, everybody's getting sick of it, even the fans are getting sick of this stuff. So, Jon's retired, and it's time that we move on.' And speaking to The Independent on Wednesday (4 June), at the launch of Aspinall's long-term partnership with sportswear brand Champion, he added: 'I want to keep my job, so I don't want to say too much, but I said what I've said in other interviews and stuff... People think I'm joking, but it's the truth. 'I'm not the kind of guy to pull any media stunts or anything like that, like... What I'm saying is the truth.' Aspinall added that his next fight 'will be announced pretty soon as far as I'm aware', after he told Sonnen and Cormier: 'I've got a date and a location. I've got a date and a location.' He told The Independent: 'I've been on the sideline for almost a year and all things aside – like money, fame, titles, all the rest of it – I'm someone who absolutely loves what I do and loves fighting. So, for me to have the opportunity to fight again after a year of being healthy and not fighting, that just makes me happy. So, I feel good about it.' Fans may interpret those updates as Aspinall having agreed a return date with the UFC but without Jones being confirmed as his opponent. With the UFC having announced main events for its pay-per-views in June, July and August, Aspinall seems unlikely to fight before September, which was set to host a Mexican-centric PPV that is now a standard Fight Night. While some fans view Jones, a former two-time light-heavyweight champion, as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, his career has been marred by numerous failed drug tests and run-ins with the law. Still, Jones is effectively unbeaten, with his sole loss having come via DQ in 2009. Meanwhile, Aspinall is 15-3 in MMA and 8-1 in the UFC. In the promotion, his only defeat occurred due to injury, while all of his career finishes have come via stoppage. In fact, Aspinall holds the UFC record for the shortest fight time of an athlete with five or more bouts; all of his wins in the promotion have come in the first two rounds – seven in round one, two in the first minute. Aspinall's decision to defend the interim belt was a rarity in the UFC, as the Wigan heavyweight aimed to stay active during Jones's absence. In that fight, Aspinall stopped Curtis Blaydes in 60 seconds, avenging his injury-induced loss to the American in 2022.
