ENGLAND women’s captain Heather Knight can’t make it to the next David Shepherd Cricket Trust luncheon in person, but will be there in spirit.

South African cricket legend Mike Procter will be the guest of honour at the fund-raising lunch being hoisted by the Trust in the function suite at Exeter Racecourse on Friday, July 6.

Procter, often labelled the best all-rounder in the world of his generation, will be talking to cricket author Stephen Chalke after lunch about his career in the game.

The chat will no doubt develop themes in Procter’ recent book, Caught in the Middle, which was shortlisted for a sporting books prize earlier this year.

Knight, one of patrons of the youth cricket charity, has donated some personal England gear to be offered as raffle prizes.

Top prize is an England shirt signed by Knight and her team-mates, who won the Women’s World Cup last summer.

Knight has also donated two England shirts, a warm-up top and England fielding hat and a pair of batting gloves to be offered as prizes.

“I think it is a tremendous gesture by Heather as a patron of our charity to do something to help us on the day, even though she can’t get there herself,” said trustee and lunch organiser Jack Davey.

Knight knows all about the Devon youth sections the Trust helps to fund. She was a young player at Plymstock before graduating to women’s county cricket then the professional game at international level.

Somerset and Gloucestershire CCCs have both donated four tickets to a home game of the winner’s choice.

And the Trust’s friends at Exeter Chiefs have donated a signed match ball to be added to the prize table.

The lunch is one of the big events of the year for the Trust, which aims to raise and spend around £20,000 a year on youth cricket in Devon.

There is still time to buy a ticket for the lunch, or even book a table.

Give Davey a call on 07811 282723 to arrange a ticket