‘A good challenge’: Mackay export Charli Knott takes on Australia A captaincy

Mackay cricket export Charli Knott will lead the Australia A women’s team in a four-day match against India A on Thursday.

Charli Knott (pictured here bowling for Brisbane Heat) will captain Australia A in their upcoming Test match against India A. Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

At 21-years-old, Mackay cricket export Charli Knott is young to be captaining any cricket side, let alone the second-best women’s team in the country.

Yet this is exactly what she will be doing come Thursday morning, as Australia A takes on India A in an unofficial four-day Test match to be held at Kerrydale Oval on the Gold Coast.

Knott, who was born in Hervey Bay but grew up in Mackay, told this masthead that she was looking forward to what would be “a good challenge.”

“I found out a little while ago that I would be captaining this game, with Tahlia McGrath not being in the side,” Knott said.

“I haven’t done a whole heap of it before and definitely not in the longer format of the game, so it will be a good challenge.

Charli Knott, pictured here playing for Australia A during its International T20 match against India A earlier this month. (Photo by Russell Freeman/Getty Images)

“It will be a good learning experience and I’m looking forward to implementing some different strategies as best I can.”

Her appointment comes after a relatively successful three-game ODI series at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena against India for both herself and the team.

The Aussies won the first two games relatively comfortably before a batting collapse in game three forced them to settle for a 2-1 series win.

Knott’s strongest effort with the ball came in the third game, where she finished with figures of 2/26 from six overs, with her bowling figures steadily improving across the three matches.

“I probably didn’t have my rhythm quite right in the first game and I was a bit rusty. My line and length were both just a bit off,” Knott said.

“But by game two I was a lot more comfortable and was glad to take some wickets.”

By contrast, her best game with the bat came in the first match of the series, where she made 26 off 38 balls as part of a 65-run partnership with century maker Katie Mack (129 off 126).

Charli Knott of the Heat bats during The Eliminator WBBL finals match between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

“It was great to bat with Katie, she’s an experienced player who I’m able to learn a lot from,” Knott said.

“It’s a shame I ruined it for myself by getting run out. I definitely can’t blame her for that one it was my fault.”

While Knott got starts with the bat in both games two and three, she failed to go on to a bigger total, out for nine and 11 respectively.

“You’d always like to make a few more runs, I’m hoping to put together some better innings if I get my chance in the longer format,” she said.

Knott said it’s “always nice” coming back and playing in her hometown of Mackay.

“(The Great Barrier Reef Arena) is a great facility especially after all the redevelopments that have been done,” she said.

“It’s nice playing there and good to be back in Mackay, I hadn’t played there since the Big Bash game a year ago.”

As for the future, Knott said while her dream was to represent Australia at the top level, she was keeping her focus on the here and now.

“Every cricketer dreams of playing for Australia and I’m no different, but for now the focus is on putting my best foot forward in this game,” she said.

Originally published as ‘A good challenge’: Mackay export Charli Knott takes on Australia A captaincy