Knight-Stokes Cup to be hosted at Lords’ as new competition continues cricket’s attempts to rid itself of elitist tags.
Lord’s to host annual Knight-Stokes Cup for state-school pupils.
MCC head Mark Nicholas says Lord’s is well on its way to demonstrating that it is not the “Augusta of cricket” after the Knight-Stokes Cup, a new national T20 competition, was introduced that is exclusively for state-school students.
The competition is for Year 10 students (ages 13–14), with separate events for boys and girls. It is named after Heather Knight, the former women’s captain of England, and Ben Stokes, the current men’s Test captain. A season-long qualifying process will start in April 2026, and then there will be regional knockouts and a finals day at Lord’s in September.
According to MCC head Mark Nicholas, Lord’s is well on its way to proving that it is not the “Augusta of cricket” with the launch of the Knight-Stokes Cup, a new national T20 competition reserved for children attending state schools.
There are distinct events for males and girls in the competition, which is for Year 10 pupils (ages 13 to 14). It bears the names of Ben Stokes, the current men’s Test captain, and Heather Knight, the previous women’s captain of England. In April 2026, a season-long qualifying procedure will begin, followed by regional knockout stages and a finals day at Lord’s in September.
Although a decision about the future of those historic matches has since been postponed until 2028, Nicholas is adamant that MCC has made enormous progress in expanding the reach of cricket’s most renowned site and will keep doing so.
“We’re an open-hearted body,” Nicholas told ESPNcricinfo. In particular, he contrasted the club’s bid for greater inclusivity with the explicitly exclusive offering of Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, the home of the annual Masters tournament, and a venue that is renowned for its strict rules and entry criteria for members and patrons alike.
“People who say, ‘oh, we’re the Augusta of cricket’, we’re not at all,” Nicholas added. “Augusta is a fabulous exclusive place. Its mystery comes from its exclusivity. We want Lord’s and MCC to be inclusive. The fact that children can come here is very important for the future of cricket, and very important for the future of MCC and Lord’s.”