Heather Knight will sit out next season’s Hundred and instead become London Spirit’s first Women’s General Manager, ending – for now at least – her on-field involvement with the Lord’s-based side.
The former England captain, 35 next summer, will work alongside Director of Cricket Mo Bobat, offering technical input to coaches and acting as a sounding board for the captain on match days. The move, announced on Monday, does not affect her central contract; Knight still expects to turn out for England and for Somerset through 2026.
“I’m delighted to take up this new role with London Spirit,” Knight said. “I have absolutely loved my time at the franchise, as a player and also as a coach in last year’s edition of The Hundred. … I am still very much committed to and passionate about playing for England and Somerset, but this is a huge development opportunity for me. It gives me the chance to learn from one of the best minds in the global game, in Mo, and broaden my experiences outside of my playing career. I am so excited for everything to come, on and off the field, in 2026.”
Key facts first
• Knight steps away from the playing XI, becomes Spirit GM
• Will still be available for England through her current ECB deal
• Role includes mentoring, selection input and day-to-day logistics
• England host a home T20 World Cup and a first women’s Test at Lord’s next summer
Why it matters
Spirit have had a revolving door of coaches since the women’s Hundred began; appointing a senior player with nine years of international captaincy seems an attempt to stitch experience and continuity into the set-up. Knight’s tactical nous – visible during Spirit’s 2024 title run and while she mentored the squad through injury last year – now moves formally off the field.
Recent journey
Knight’s career has been full-throttle lately. She lost the England captaincy after a winless Ashes tour in early 2025, then tore a hamstring tendon batting against West Indies in May. The injury wiped out most of her domestic summer, but she still finished England’s leading run-scorer at the autumn World Cup in India and Sri Lanka – 228 runs at 48.00, striking at 85.71 – before England bowed out in the semi-finals.
Bobat, who joined Spirit from the ECB last winter, was effusive about the appointment. “Heather’s deep understanding of the women’s game, and of what is required to perform at the highest level make her the ideal person to be our first Women’s General Manager,” he said. “She knows what it takes to win The Hundred and the franchise will benefit from having one of the game’s leading current players in such a key role. I’m looking forward to working closely with Heather and excited at the prospect of her forming a trusted partnership with our Women’s Head Coach. It’s also great to be able to support Heather with her long-term ambitions and future career transition. I know how passionate she remains about playing for England and her unwavering commitment to represent.”
Longer view
Knight signposted a switch towards administration back in 2023 when she completed a Masters in Leadership in Sport at the Institute of Sports Humanities. Her dissertation explored how international cricket could balance tradition with the rapid rise of domestic franchise leagues, so this post feels like a natural extension of that work.
With the ECB keen to elevate women’s roles off the pitch as well as on it, Knight’s appointment may serve as a template for senior players eyeing life after the last knockings of their playing days. For now, though, expect to see her in two hats – Somerset and England batter until the end of her contract, Spirit strategist throughout the height of the British summer.
