Lisa Keightley, the head coach of the England women’s team has informed the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that she will not be seeking a contract extension and when her term comes to an end in September, she’ll be leaving the role.
The former Australian cricketer, Lisa Keightley was appointed as the head coach of the England women’s team in January 2020 and has had a good stint with the team, but will leave with only the disappointment of having not won any major cricketing tournament. Lisa had coached England to the semifinals in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2020, the Commonwealth Games medal match finish in 2022 and early in the same year to the finals of the ICC ODI World Cup.
England have had big-day defeats in the past having failed to qualify for the finals of the T20 World Cup in 2020 that was held in Australia. Then early in 2022 in New Zealand, the side failed to defend their ODI World Cup title losing to Australia and the most recent defeat had come against New Zealand in the Bronze medal match, but the big-day defeats aren’t believed to be the reason behind Lisa Keightley exit as the decision of Lisa to part ways with the ECB was reached mutually before the start of the Commonwealth Games.
England are next scheduled to play India in September 2022 and that will be the last series for England with Lisa Keightley as the team’s head coach. The ECB now will open applications for the job and whosoever is set to fill in Lisa Keightley shoes has got to make a smooth transition as the ICC T20 World Cup that’ll be played early in 2023 in South Africa will be just around the corner.
The Director of England Women’s Cricket, Jonathan Finch, on the same has quoted, “We are incredibly grateful for the commitment and passion Lisa has shown over the last two-and-a-half years in the role. We have seen increased competition for places over the last 12 months and the squad Lisa leaves is an exciting blend of youth and experience. Leading an international team is challenging at the best of times. It is more challenging during a pandemic, and Lisa has been able to continue the development of the team during what has been the toughest period we have faced off the field.
Clare Connor, the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on the same has added, “I’d like to place on record our sincere thanks to Lisa for all her efforts across the last two-and-a-half years. Lisa was always a fierce opponent when she represented Australia, and she’s brought that same pride, passion and will to win into everything she’s done with the England Women’s team. The team have enjoyed working with her immensely and I know they’ll join me in wishing her all the very best for her next challenge.”
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