Knight calls time on England career, McCullum bows out as Test coach, India savour Lord's — cricket digest 14 Jul 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Heather Knight announces retirement after final England appearance at Lord’s

Heather Knight has confirmed she will step away from international cricket after 16 years, telling team-mates during the Lord’s Test against India that it would be her last game in an England shirt. Knight said breaking the news in the dressing room was the hardest part, with “a few tears”, but added she felt relief once it was public and is excited about what comes next.

Nat Sciver-Brunt, who succeeded Knight as captain, paid tribute to their time together and highlighted the batting partnerships that defined their on-field understanding. Knight’s next role is already lined up: she was appointed general manager of London Spirit’s women’s team for the Hundred, which starts next week.

McCullum apologises as his England Test tenure ends, with white-ball role still in place

Brendon McCullum has spoken publicly for the final time as England’s Test head coach after being removed from the role, bringing down the curtain on a four-year spell that yielded 27 wins and 20 defeats in 49 Tests. He apologised to supporters for not delivering in marquee series against Australia and India, while defending the approach he felt was needed to rebuild energy and identity in the side.

McCullum reiterated his dislike of the “Bazball” label, arguing it became a catch-all for both success and failure, and accepted responsibility for England falling short in the biggest moments. He remains in charge of England’s white-ball set-up, though how long that continues was left unclear.

India complete historic Lord’s win as spinners wrap up 270-run victory over England

India sealed a commanding 270-run win over England in the first women’s Test played at Lord’s, finishing the job inside 95 minutes on the final day. Sneh Rana’s offspin proved decisive in the chase, with her four-wicket haul closing out the match after India had built a match-winning lead.

The game also delivered major individual landmarks: Kranti Gaud’s five-for in England’s first innings put her on the Lord’s honours board, and Yastika Bhatia became the first women’s Test centurion at the ground with a hundred in India’s second innings.

Spin-heavy XIs again as New Zealand bowl first in Guyana and both sides tweak line-ups

New Zealand chose to bowl first against West Indies in Guyana with the home side leading the five-match ODI series 1-0. Both teams made one change, and both doubled down on spin in conditions expected to suit slow bowlers.

Dean Foxcroft returned for New Zealand in place of Nathan Smith, leaving them with two seamers and four spinners including Michael Bracewell. West Indies brought in Matthew Forde for Shamar Joseph, with Alzarri Joseph and Forde the only specialist quicks alongside three left-arm spinners: Gudakesh Motie, Vitel Lawes and Khary Pierre.

In brief

  • The ECB has indicated England’s next Test head coach could be allowed to combine the job with an IPL role, with chief executive Richard Gould saying the board needs to be progressive on such arrangements.
  • Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah have arrived to bolster India ahead of their ODI series against England, with Joe Root set to return for England at Edgbaston.
  • India head into the England ODIs with Rohit and Bumrah in focus and an allrounder spot under scrutiny, with Hardik Pandya, Nitish Reddy and Harshit Rana unavailable through injury and extra attention on Shivam Dube.
  • The ICC has re-constituted a Special Taskforce and set out a timeline that could see an Afghan women’s refugee team enter international qualification pathways by 2030.
  • South Africa Under-19s beat England Under-19s by 45 runs, with JJ Basson taking seven wickets in the match despite a century from Caleb Falconer in England’s second innings.
  • Shimron Hetmyer has replaced the injured Justin Greaves in West Indies’ squad for the second and third ODIs against New Zealand, with Greaves returning to Barbados to continue rehabilitation on a back injury.
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi has been granted an NOC by the PCB to play for Kandy Royals in the Lanka Premier League, which begins this week and runs from July 17 to August 8.
  • The Big Bash League will return to Christmas Eve in 2026-27 and stage its final on Australia Day, January 26, with Christmas Day again left free of fixtures.
  • Delhi Capitals and Madhya Pradesh allrounder Madhav Tiwari’s development as a seam-bowling allrounder has been highlighted after his IPL 2026 appearances and a strong season in the Madhya Pradesh T20 League.
  • A reader Q&A has revisited whether Jos Buttler and Harry Brook’s 233-run stand against India was a T20I record, and whether Marnus Labuschagne holds the top concussion-sub scores in both Tests and ODIs.
  • A podcast discussion has examined India’s run of six straight completed T20I defeats in England and Ireland after their earlier T20 World Cup triumph.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo