Charli Knott Signs for The Blaze as Orla Prendergast Set for 2026 Return

Australia A allrounder Charli Knott has signed with The Blaze for this year’s Vitality Blast and Metro Bank One-Day Cup, while Ireland international Orla Prendergast is also set to return to Trent Bridge for a third successive season in 2026.

Knott, 23, will arrive in May to take part in the full T20 Blast campaign and will also be available for three One-Day Cup fixtures in June. The move marks her third consecutive summer in the UK, having previously featured for Hampshire and Southern Vipers.

“I can’t wait to get back over to England and represent The Blaze,” Knott said. “Playing in England before has been great fun and a real learning experience for me.

“I know how good a squad The Blaze have from playing against them in the past, and I’m really excited to contribute as we aim for success in 2026.”

Although yet to earn a full international cap for Australia, Knott was included in the ODI squad that toured India ahead of last year’s World Cup. A regular in the Women’s Big Bash League, she has also represented Southern Brave and London Spirit in The Hundred and recently made her Women’s Premier League debut for UP Warriorz.

Knott impressed last season with Hampshire, scoring 235 runs at an average of 47.00 in the T20 Blast. She also amassed 297 runs and claimed eight wickets in the One-Day Cup, underlining her value as a dual-threat allrounder.

The Blaze head coach Craig Cumming welcomed the signing, saying: “We’re really pleased to add Charli to our squad, and we really believe in her qualities with bat and ball. Charli has a lot of experience across formats, and she’s put up some very impressive numbers so far, so we can’t wait to welcome her.”

Meanwhile, Prendergast, also 23, has agreed to return to The Blaze for two separate spells during the 2026 One-Day Cup season, initially across April and May and then again for the latter stages of the competition in September, subject to international commitments.

“I’m thrilled to be coming back to The Blaze for another season,” Prendergast said. “We’ve got a really strong team capable of pushing for success, and I’m excited to be part of that again.

“I’ve really enjoyed the chances we’ve had to play at Trent Bridge in the past, so the fact we have more fixtures there than ever before in 2026 is another hugely exciting thought.”

The dual announcements strengthen The Blaze’s squad depth as they look to build on recent progress and mount a serious challenge across formats.