The National Times - England unhappy with Rita Ora show before T20 World Cup final

England unhappy with Rita Ora show before T20 World Cup final


England unhappy with Rita Ora show before T20 World Cup final
England unhappy with Rita Ora show before T20 World Cup final / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

England are annoyed their bowlers' usual pre-game routines will be altered changed by the appearance of Rita Ora ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup final against Australia at Lord's on Sunday.

Change text size:

The pop singer will headline the tournament's closing ceremony on the outfield at the 'Home of Cricket' from 2:30-3:00 pm (1330-1400 GMT), 30 minutes before the start of the showpiece match between the arch-rivals.

While the teams are permitted on to the main ground before and after the performance, any warm-up drills in between will have to take place on the Nursery Ground, mainly used for net practice on training days.

But it could all prove something of a frustration, with Ora performing at a time when bowlers like to mark their run-ups and go through their paces on the ground where they will be playing.

Closing ceremonies on the outfield are becoming increasingly common at the end of major tournaments, and while it is believed England are not treating this as a major issue, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt made it clear some of her team-mates are far from impressed.

"Obviously there's a few moving parts with the pre-game stuff," Sciver-Brunt told reporters on Saturday.

"People like to bowl before the game on one of the bowl through wickets. We had a few chins down (when the England players found out).

"I guess that's what you get when you're playing in a final and there's a lot of other moving parts that aren't to do with the two teams playing. Hopefully we can go about our business as usual."

Australia captain Sophie Molineux, however, was less concerned by the situation.

"I'm assuming if Rita Ora is here, we can evacuate the dance floor, that's for sure," she said with a smile.

F.Jackson--TNT

Featured

The Nile Theater Announces Full 2026 Concert Lineup Including Menzingers and Shakey Graves

The Nile Theater in downtown Mesa has unveiled its full concert calendar for 2026, continuing its role as a central hub for live music in the Valley. The historic venue will host a diverse array of acts across its main room and Underground stage, with notable performances scheduled from August through December.

Venezuelan Artist Oswaldo Vigas Retrospective Opens in Guangzhou

The Guangdong Museum of Art in Guangzhou is hosting a retrospective of Venezuelan artist Oswaldo Vigas, titled "Reality Is What I Imagine." The exhibition features monumental works from his seven-decade career, exploring the intersection of Latin American heritage and global modernist movements through a curated dialogue between Chinese and Venezuelan perspectives.

A lasting Dolly Parton legacy: childhood literacy

To nine-year-old Zenaida, it wasn't Dolly Parton's storied country music career that made her so great.

Therapy Culture Performance: How the Lindsay Clancy Trial Sparked a Trend of Viral Maternal Distress

The trial of Lindsay Clancy has become an unlikely focal point for a growing social media phenomenon among mothers. Rather than focusing on the legal details, many women are using the case to validate their own struggles with parenting, turning personal exhaustion into viral content. This trend highlights a shift in how maternal stress is perceived and shared online.

Change text size: