London, July 12 (IANS) England’s ODI World Cup winning captain Heather Knight has said she is ‘happy and content’ with her decision to retire from international cricket at the end of the ongoing Lord’s Test against India, adding that it feels like the ‘perfect timing’ to step away.

At the end of day two’s play, Heather had announced that she would join opener Tammy Beaumont in retiring from international cricket at the end of the ongoing first-ever women’s Test at Lord’s. Heather will finish with 320 international appearances, and has 7988 runs so far. She’s also the first England player to score centuries in all three formats of the game.

“I definitely knew (I was going to retire) about two or three months ago. I came into the summer pretty sure it was going to be my last one. I have thought about it for quite some time, as you do and talked to a lot of people close to me. To be able to finish with a home World Cup and Test match, at Lord’s, it felt really right.

“I am happy and content with the decision. It is not an easy thing to step away from but I am really grateful for the career I have had. It is perfect timing for me (to go),” said Heather in a chat with broadcasters.

She also admitted that she no longer possessed the intense drive required to sustain herself at the highest level, even though she wanted to leave while still performing well. “I have always wanted to leave when I am still wanted and I still feel I am contributing to the team and playing well.

“But the main thing is that I am excited for what’s next in my life and career. Things are dragging me away from the game and, after this summer, I probably feel that I haven’t got the drive and energy to keep going, keep doing what you need to do to be an international cricketer.”

While she has drawn the curtains on her international career, Knight confirmed she intends to continue playing domestic cricket, though the specific details of her future appearances are yet to be finalised.

Asked on her proudest moments in international cricket, Heather said, “There are so many moments I am really proud of. There are the ones you see – like the big World Cup win at Lord’s in 2017 – but I am also proud of coming through setbacks.

“I am grateful for the good times but also the tough times which have made me the person and cricketer I am. The biggest thing I will reflect on and be grateful for is the journey I have seen the game on – in sixteen years it is unrecognisable to what it is now.

“Hopefully I have played a small part in that. I worked off the field and pushing things forward in terms of contracts and getting the game to where it is now fills me with pride. It has been a wholesome 16 years.”

Tash Farrant, Heather’s former international team-mate, said she was ‘not surprised’ by the decision, while pointing to her transition into administrative roles, including her appointment as the general manager for London Spirit in The Hundred. “It is a huge moment as Heather is one of the greatest players we have ever produced for England but I am not surprised by the decision.

“She has taken on a general manager role at London Spirit in The Hundred and I think she would have wanted to go out on her own terms, something not a lot of people are able to do. She loves Test cricket so to be able to play the first Test at Lord’s (is a great way to go out). England are going to really miss her,” she said.

Former Australian cricketer Mel Jones paid tribute to Heather’s resilience, particularly her ability to bounce back from career-threatening injuries. “Heather was Australia’s Ashes nemesis so many times – big, big hundreds – and for me, looking back on her career, it was the way she bounced back from serious injury.

“Most people would have thought, ‘that is it’. She kept redefining herself physically, although she was never the quickest between the wickets. She was also an out-and-out leader.”

–IANS

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