England spinner Charlie Dean has been named captain of London Spirit for the upcoming Women’s Hundred, replacing Heather Knight, who has been ruled out for the summer due to a hamstring injury sustained during the third T20I against West Indies in May.
This marks the second time that the 24-year-old Dean will lead the Spirit, having previously stepped in as captain in 2022 when Knight was sidelined with a hip injury. Under Dean’s leadership that season, the team finished seventh in the table.
Though debarred from playing, Knight will remain actively involved with the squad in a coaching and mentoring capacity throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, Surrey batter Kira Chathli has been named as her replacement in the batting lineup. Chathli, who previously played for Oval Invincibles, brings valuable domestic experience to the squad.
In another key change, the Spirit have appointed Chris Liddle as their new head coach, replacing Ashley Noffke.
“I am gutted Heather won’t be playing with us this year” – Dean
Dean expressed disappointment over Knight’s absence but is excited to lead the squad and build on last year’s success.
“We have a great squad and I know the expectation will be high after winning the competition last year. I am gutted Heather won’t be playing with us this year, but it’s brilliant that she’ll still be around to help us out. Tapping into her experience and knowledge will be invaluable,” Dean said.
Dean has been part of the Spirit since the inaugural season in 2021. With a total of 18 wickets and 126 runs from 30 matches, she has made valuable contributions with both bat and ball over the seasons.
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