Cricket: England women complete series whitewash against Sri Lanka in T20 international

Kate Cross took two wickets and made 20 runs during the England final against Sri Lanka

The England women’s cricket team, captained by Rochdale-born Heather Knight, has completed a 3-0 series whitewash against Sri Lanka in the women’s international Twenty20 series.

The team sealed victory on Tuesday (26 March) after thrashing Sri Lanka by eight wickets, going on to win their third and final match today, Thursday 28 March.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/4/sport-news/126889/cricket-england-women-win-international-t20-series

England won by 96 runs, including 20 made by Kate Cross, from Heywood, who took two wickets, with Sri Lanka making 108 for 6.

Making 204 runs for 2, England scored their second highest T20 total, only behind their 250-3 score made against South Africa last year.

Speaking to England Cricket, Knight said: “I’m delighted with how the girls finished today; 10 wins on the bounce is brilliant. [I’m a] very happy captain at the moment.”

Cross, 27, began playing cricket at the age of eight, rising to international level after being the first female to be accepted into the Lancashire County Cricket Club academy.

In 2015, she became the first woman to play in the Central Lancashire League in its 123-year history.

Knight, 28, began playing cricket in boys’ and men’s teams when she was also eight after moving to Plymouth.

A talented right-handed batswoman, she played for Plymstock Cricket Club and at county level for Devon.

She was part of the England squad which reclaimed the Ashes against Australia in 2013 and helped retain them in 2014.

Knight received an OBE on the 2018 New Year’s honour list and was named among Wisden Almanack’s Five Cricketers of the Year for 2017 after she led the women’s team to a triumphant World Cup victory last summer.