England’s bowlers are concerned that a planned performance by singer Rita Ora will disrupt their usual warm-up routines before the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s on Sunday. The hosts play Australia in the final at Lord’s.
According to reports, Ora is scheduled to headline the closing ceremony on the Lord’s outfield from 2.30pm to 3.00pm. The ceremony ends about 30 minutes before the scheduled start of the match, leaving a narrow window for match preparations. The women’s teams are allowed on to the main ground before and after the performance, but any activity during the ceremony period must be carried out elsewhere.
Sources say England’s captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and the side’s bowlers are frustrated that their typical pre-match routines may be “inadvertently” hampered. With main-ground access limited during Ora’s appearance, training is expected to shift to the Nursery Ground, which is largely used for net practice on training days.
