Queensland all-rounder Charli Knott is enjoying a career-best season, with standout performances in the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) earning her a spot in the upcoming final against New South Wales Breakers and a call-up to the Australia A squad. At just 21, Knott has showcased her all-round skills, leading to opportunities beyond domestic cricket.
Her breakthrough came earlier this season when she smashed her maiden WNCL century against South Australia, cementing her reputation as a top-order batter.
Reflecting on the milestone, Knott said, “It feels, personally, a bit of a long time coming to score the runs I have, and I’m definitely pretty happy. It’s nice to see some of the work pay off … in cricket, it’s a tough game in terms of putting a lot of work in, and then you might not make many runs or take many wickets, so it’s definitely a nice feeling for some of that work to have paid off.”
Knott has also contributed key wickets with her off-spin, further solidifying her role as a key all-rounder for Queensland. Her form earned her a County contract at Hampshire and a call-up to the Australia A squad.
Speaking about her move to England, she said, “It’s a great opportunity for myself and just in different conditions, different coaching staff, completely different environment that can help further my game.”
Despite missing out on the WBBL finals with Brisbane Heat, Knott remains positive about her growth and is excited for the Rud Preddy Cup final. She shared, “Everyone’s pretty pumped about that, being in the final for the second year running – now we’re pretty keen to get a win on the board.”
As she prepares for the WNCL final, Knott is focused on delivering for Queensland and aiming for higher honors in Australian cricket.
She reflected on her mindset going into games, “There’s obviously always little technical intricacies that I’m trying to develop, but it was more so getting my routines down pat to make sure that my head was in the right space before each game – which is just being as simple as possible and really having a clear mind, so that I can just allow my instincts to take over, (the things) that we do practice so hard on in training.”
Knott concluded her WNCL season with 542 runs. She also played in the 2024 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, scoring 346 runs and taking 16 wickets. With 654 WBBL career runs, a high score of 55, and 26 wickets, Knott continues to prove her all-rounder abilities and is poised for a bright future in Australian cricket.
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