Heather Knight remains a doubt with England on brink of Commonwealth semi-finals

Heather Knight’s availability for the rest of the Commonwealth Games is in fresh doubt as England moved to the brink of the semi-finals with a 26-run victory over South Africa.

The England captain had an injection in her hip in a bid to be fit for cricket’s return to the Games after a 24-year wait but she has been sidelined for her side’s two opening Group B wins at Edgbaston.

She is also likely to miss England’s final group game against New Zealand on Thursday and is nervously awaiting the results of a scan which may determine whether she can participate in the finals stages.

After England continued their stranglehold over the Proteas this summer, stand-in skipper Nat Sciver said of her injured team-mate: “She’s not in a good place.

“She’s better than she has been in the last few days, still in a bit of pain with her hip.

“It’s probably going to be a bit quick to play against New Zealand, she went and saw our team doctor and had another scan. She’s waiting on the results of that.”

Knight said last week “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could play a role that’s going to contribute” and the outcome of her screening may inform whether England send for a replacement player.

While she led England to a seminal victory at the 2017 50-over World Cup, her absence in Birmingham has hardly been noticed as the tournament hosts have brushed aside Sri Lanka and now South Africa.

Alice Capsey continued a fine start to her international career after amassing 50 from 37 balls and, although she was one of three wickets to fall in nine deliveries, England recovered from 94 for five to post 167 without further loss thanks to an unbroken 73-run stand from Amy Jones and Katherine Brunt.

Both Jones (36 not out) and Brunt (38no) faced 23