Sarah Taylor, the former England wicketkeeper, is set to coach the Sussex men’s team as she joins the county cricket team’s support staff, the club announced on Monday.
Taylor, along with Ashley Wright in batting, will be supporting the full-time coaching team and work with the professional squad and the Sussex Cricket Pathway on a part-time basis, the club said on the two new additions.
The 31-year-old, who was part of the victorious 2017 World Cup-winning squad, is among the most successful wicketkeeper in women’s cricket and is considered as one of the best keepers in the world across genders. She retired from international cricket in 2019 due to a long battle with anxiety.
A woman coaching in a men’s sport setup us still relatively uncharted territory, especially in cricket.
Also Read: How female coaches can add a different dimension to men’s professional sport
“I’m really pleased about working with the club’s wicketkeepers. From Ben Brown and Phil Salt in the professional squad and down through the pathway, we have a really talented group of keepers at Sussex who I am looking forward to working with immensely,” Taylor was quoted as saying in a statement on the Sussex cricket website.
“I want to share my experience and expertise to help them get the most out of their game. I’m a big believer in keeping things simple and perfecting the basics so that players can enjoy and express themselves with the gloves,” she added.
In her 13-year international career and has the most wicketkeeping dismissals in the history of women’s international cricket and has scored over 7,000 international runs for England.
Relive England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor’s magic behind the stumps
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