After working in the position on an interim basis since June, ex-Ireland batsman Ed Joyce has been named head coach of his country’s women’s squad. After Aaron Hamilton’s exit, Joyce held the provisional role, but his position has now become permanent. Under Joyce, the Irish women have recently missed out on qualifying for the T20 World Cup in Scotland. However, over the past three months, Cricket Ireland has been delighted with Joyce’s job with the team.
“We had no hesitation in offering him the opportunity,” said Cricket Ireland’s performance director Richard Holdsworth (as stated on BBC world news)
“The calmness he brings, and the sense of togetherness within the team, was evident to all who saw the side in action in Scotland.
“With the home season coming to an end, and the qualifier completed, Ed will now have the opportunity to further develop the skillset and mindset of the wider squad, and start to focus on 50-over cricket ahead of the World Cup Qualifier in Sri Lanka next July.”
Joyce’s responsibilities will also see him supervising Ireland’s Women’s Academy and a further appointment will be made to assist him in this role in the coming weeks.
In accepting the full-time position, the former Ireland player said he had “no hesitation.”
“The part-time contracts introduced this year, the rise in profile of women’s cricket and women’s sport in general, and the investment in facilities and support structures around the senior team all point to a commitment from Cricket Ireland to grow the game and lift our standards to compete on the world stage,” said Joyce.
“While we were all obviously disappointed to have missed out on qualification for the T20 World Cup, what impressed me about the squad was the players’ commitment to learning and the talent that began to emerge as the games came along.”
Source: BBC world news
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