Sarah Taylor has yet again managed to make history in her already illustrious career in cricket. The ex-wicket keeper of the England cricket team has been named the fielding coach for England’s men’s Test team ahead of the forthcoming series against New Zealand. In doing so, Taylor will become the first-ever female coach to be part of England’s men’s senior coaching staff. This temporary assignment is not only groundbreaking but also serves a significant purpose.
Taylor will replace Carl Hopkinson, who won’t be available as he has to fulfill his duties with the Mumbai Indians franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
England’s managing director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, said Taylor is “one of the best in the business.”
One of Women’s Cricket’s Greatest Players
The choice to make her the coach is also justified by her achievements as a cricketer. Being considered one of the best wicket-keepers in cricket history, she participated in 226 international games for England in various formats of the game within her 13-year career. With her lightning fast gloving skills and innate talent to bat, she was undoubtedly the most accomplished cricketer of her time.
Undoubtedly, her participation and performance in winning the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup were the highlight of her career. It was her consistency while performing the duties of wicketkeeping and handling the pressure with ease that made her stand out from the rest. Interestingly, Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist once called her the best wicketkeeper of the world, irrespective of gender.
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That transition has been impressive. Taylor has worked with the England Lions under Andrew Flintoff. She has also coached Sussex and Manchester Originals. Those roles helped build her credentials and prepared her for this latest step.
Why did England turn to Taylor?
England’s fielding came under scrutiny during their recent Ashes defeat in Australia. The team dropped 11 catches and often looked untidy in the field. Those missed chances proved costly in a 4-1 series loss.
As a result, England wanted specialist support ahead of the New Zealand Tests. Taylor’s wicketkeeping expertise and technical eye made her an obvious choice. Moreover, her recent work with the Lions impressed both Flintoff and performance director Ed Barney, whose recommendations helped secure her promotion.
England Squad for the First Test Against New Zealand
England has selected a team of fifteen for their first Test match at Lord’s Cricket Ground, scheduled to start on June 4. Ben Stokes will captain the team, while Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Duckett will be the batting mainstays.
There are new entrants like Emilio Gay, James Rew, and Sonny Baker among others. Rew is among the two wicket-keepers along with Jamie Smith. The combination of both experience and new blood, under the guidance of Taylor, would raise the bar for England’s home season ahead.
England Squad: Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, James Rew (WK), Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (WK) and Josh Tongue
