Heather Knight not surprised by unflattering picture painted by ICEC report

The ICEC said it was “alarmed” the England women’s team had never played a Test at Lord’s.

Heather Knight will lead England in the first T20 against Australia on Saturday (Nigel French/PA) (PA Wire)

Heather Knight was unsurprised by the unflattering picture that was painted by an independent report into cricket as the England captain insisted there is still “a long way to go” to achieve equality despite the game having “come very far”.

The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) this week published a long-awaited 317-page report which identified ingrained racism, sexism and classism within the sport in England and Wales.

The ICEC said it was “alarmed” the England women’s team had never played a Test at Lord’s, while among its 44 recommendations was for equal pay between males and females at international level by 2030.

Knight argued she has witnessed an uptick in attitudes towards the women’s game since she started her career, pointing out there will be nearly 20,000 people at Edgbaston for Saturday’s first T20 against Australia in a multi-format Ashes series that has sold in excess of 80,000 tickets across seven games.

But in a statement on the eve of the T20, she said: “It’s been really sad to hear about anyone that’s not felt welcome in our game – nobody should be made to feel unwelcome in our sport.

“This is a really important step for cricket, and cricket – having done this report – can really lead the way in terms of being more equitable, more diverse and more inclusive.

“It’s really important for me to say as a woman in cricket it’s not at all surprising, the recommendations that have come out of the report – but it’s really important to say cricket has come a hell of a long way since I was a kid.

“I started out playing men’s club cricket and being asked ‘do you do the ironing for the men when you finish playing?’. (On Saturday) I’ll lead my side out in front of a near full-house, with 85,000 tickets sold for the whole series.

“Cricket has come very far but it’s also got a long way to go. As a group of England women cricketers we feel really strongly about this. We want to be a key part of that in pushing the game forward.”

I started out playing men's club cricket and being asked 'do you do the ironing for the men when you finish playing?'. (On Saturday) I'll lead my side out in front of a near full-house, with 85,000 tickets sold for the whole series.

Heather Knight

Knight, whose side face having to win at least four and most likely five of the six white-ball matches to regain the Women’s Ashes, admitted the report has been much-discussed in England’s dressing room.

And she was unequivocal when asked if she had a message to any young girls that might want to take up the sport.

Knight said: “I’d say do it. I wish I was a youngster getting into cricket now, there’s no better time to be a female playing cricket. Come and join in and hopefully you feel welcome.”

The focus in recent days has been on the ICEC urging a “fundamental overhaul of the professional women players’ pay structure” and immediate equality in men’s and women’s international match fees.

But Knight believes precedence must be given towards establishing the same opportunities for youngsters, irrespective of gender.

Knight said: “The priority is getting the structures in place to give equal opportunity to have a young girl that gets exactly the same opportunities to be a professional cricketer as a young boy has.

“Getting that pathway right and that professional structure really in a great place is going to make women’s cricket really sustainable.”

Nat Sciver-Brunt is a bowling doubt with the knee injury that restricted her to 14 overs in the lone Test defeat at Trent Bridge but England’s star all-rounder will feature in Birmingham.

Knight added: “The most important thing is Nat is there as a batter, we don’t want to push her too far and sacrifice the amazing role she plays with the bat as one of the best players in the world.

“We’re hopeful she can still play a part with the ball but it’s a little bit TBC right now.”