England captain Heather Knight wants women’s Test at Lord’s as side round off international summer at the venue | Cricket News

England captain Heather Knight is eager to play a Test at Lord’s as her side prepare to round off their international summer at the venue with the fifth and final T20 against New Zealand.

A crowd of more than 20,000 is expected at the London ground on Wednesday as England aim to complete a 5-0 sweep in the 20-over series ahead of the World Cup in Bangladesh in October.

Knight’s team have won all 12 of their completed matches this summer, having also beaten New Zealand 3-0 in an ODI series after white-ball successes against Pakistan in May.

Knight, who plays at Lord’s during The Hundred for London Spirit and also won the 50-over World Cup at the stadium in 2017, said: “I’d love to see a Test here in the next few years. Hopefully that can happen.

“A Lord’s game should be a regular fixture in the calendar [for England Women].

“Lord’s feels a lot like a home ground to me. I have got really special memories and it is always very special playing here.”

On not playing a Test against New Zealand this summer, Knight added: “We have two on the horizon – one in South Africa and one in Australia but I know the Kiwis would love to play a Test.

“Could we have played three ODIs, three T20s and a Test in the middle? Maybe. I don’t do the schedule but I love playing Tests.”

‘England want to continue ruthless streak’

Top-order batter Maia Bouchier is set to return at Lord’s after being rested for the fourth game across London at The Kia Oval on Saturday, with Knight wanting her charges to be “ruthless”.

She said: “We are desperate to finish the summer unbeaten, desperate to continue this ruthless streak. That is something we have talked about a lot over the last 12 months.

“A lot of people have said to me New Zealand haven’t been great but we have been awesome. The way we have kept their key players quiet probably needs a bit more credit, to be honest.

“We have proved we can beat anyone on our day – the Ashes proved that last summer when we won the two white-ball series – but we want to keep improving and working on things.”

England will head to Bangladesh looking to win the T20 World Cup for the first time since the inaugural edition on home soil in 2009, with Knight saying decisions during the New Zealand series have been made with that tournament in their thoughts.

She added: “You want to focus on what’s in front of you and taking momentum into the World Cup and build that winning mentality.

“But little bits have had Bangladesh in mind – playing four spinners, giving people opportunities. It feels like people have staked a claim to be in the XI not just the squad.”

Watch the fifth and final T20 international between England and New Zealand live on Sky Sports Cricket from 5.30pm (6pm first ball) or stream with NOW.

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