Charlie Dean to captain London Spirit following Heather Knight injury

Dean has enjoyed a rapid rise in the last 12 months. Ahead of The Hundred in 2021, she hadn't yet made her international debut

Charlie Dean will lead London Spirit in The Hundred after Heather Knight was ruled out through injury.

Knight, the England captain, is suffering from a hip-joint problem and hasn't played since the first T20I against South Africa last month, missing the Commonwealth Games as a result.

Dean, meanwhile, has enjoyed a rapid rise in the last 12 months. Ahead of The Hundred in 2021, she hadn't yet made her international debut.

When it came, that opportunity followed her performances for Spirit, where she impressed Knight; the 21-year-old has since become England's first-choice off-spinner in ODI cricket.

^{Dean will captain London Spirit in the absence of Heather Knight (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)}

"It's a great opportunity for me, I'm really looking forward to leading the team," she said. "Obviously, we're gutted that Heather can't join us this year, but we have an exciting squad filled with experience and young talent and we can't wait to get started on Friday."

The decision to hand Dean the captaincy is particularly bold, given the presence in the squad of experienced overseas heads - Beth Mooney, Megan Schutt - and domestic options in Sophie Luff, who has captained under head coach Trevor Griffin at Western Storm, and Naomi Dattani.

Dean was ever-present for Spirit in the competition's inaugural edition, picking up six wickets, while she was the second-highest wicket-taker in the Charlotte Edwards Cup earlier this summer.

In the regional system, she has represented Southern Vipers since the Kia Super League days.

Related Topics

• The Hundred 2022 - women's team guide: London Spirit