Devon old girl Heather Knight hitting out for England <br>credit: www.ppauk.com

DEVON’S women are looking forward to facing their illustrious old girl Heather Knight in round three of the ECB County Championship.

England’s World Cup-winning captain Knight started her cricket career in Devon with Plymstock before going through the youth system and graduating to the international circuit.

Knight now plays for Berkshire who will be facing Devon at Sidmouth a week today (May 19).  And she clearly in form if her rapid 131 against Worcestershire last Sunday is anything to by.

A Berkshire team-mate of Knight’s is England’s World Cup-winning bowler Anya Shrubsole, whose five-wicket burst in the 2017 final against India in front of a full house at Lord’s swung the game.

Warren Carr, the Devon team manager, said with England Academy quickie Lauren Bell and Western Storm stroke maker Alice MacLeod in the Berkshire time, the game will be a test.

“Berkshire are a good side and our girls are eager to pit themselves against them and see how they measure up,” said Carr.

“Heather and Anya are well known but Berkshire are strong all the way through.

“If we turn up and play at our best we are good enough to beat them – and I fancy us to do it.

“Because of the changes coming to women’s county cricket from next year it is unlikely most of our girls will get the chance to play against players of Heather and Anya’s calibre again, which I imagine will motivate them to do well.”

ECB are planning to scrap women’s county championship cricket next year and replace it with a regional tournament based on the territories currently allocated to Kia Super League teams such Western Storm and the Southern Vipers.

Going into today’s (Sunday’s) round of fixtures, Berkshire and Devon are level on points at the top of the Division Two table.

Berkshire are at home to Somerset while Devon hit the road to Himley CC in Worcestershire.

Devon had a good Bank Holiday weekend programme with back-to-back three-wicket wins over Wales and Durham.