After the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Pakistan, Ed Joyce, 46, the head coach of Ireland’s women’s cricket team, confirmed that he’ll exit the role when his current contract expires in April 2025.
After serving as interim head coach for three months following Aaron Hamilton’s departure, Joyce, who played for both England and Ireland, signed on as the head coach in September 2019. Ireland Women have played 97 games under Joyce’s leadership so far (51 victories, 44 defeats, and two draws), with a variety of incredible victories over some of the top teams in the world.
On his decision, Ed Joyce said, “It has been a privilege to lead Cricket Ireland’s women’s performance programme and to work with this group of dedicated cricketers and support staff. The last six years have been an incredible journey – not just for me personally, but for the players, coaches and, indeed, the entire performance programme.
“When I came on board we had just announced first-ever part-time contracts for women cricketers in Ireland. Those six part-time contracts have grown over subsequent years to now 23 players under some form of contract – a number of these being full-time. This process of professionalisation alone has been rewarding yet challenging. Throw the Covid pandemic into the mix, the constant need to juggle the availability of players who are still studying – all while meeting the demands of international cricket – the role has been all-encompassing.”
Ed also understood that coaching is a natural cycle and that athletes benefit from new viewpoints. He has been in charge of Ireland’s incredible development since 2019, leading the team to victories against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and England as well as impressive showings against Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe.
He thanked his coaching staff, players, Cricket Ireland, and the larger support system for their faith and commitment. He emphasises the team’s resiliency and advancement while savouring the ride. Joyce hopes that his involvement with Irish cricket will continue even when he steps down, leaving the door open for further opportunities in the sport.
Joyce, himself played 151 games for Ireland and is regarded as one of the country’s most renowned batters and retired from international cricket in 2018. Prior to taking the position of head coach for the women, he worked as a batting coach for the Ireland Men.
Besides defeating Sri Lanka 2-1 in home ODIs last summer, Ireland has had several noteworthy victories under Joyce’s leadership, including T20I series victories in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Not too long ago, they also defeated England in an ODI for the first time since 2001 and then won their first T20I match to tie the series 1-1.
Covid-19 disrupted Joyce’s tenure, preventing Ireland from playing competitively for 20 months and preventing his team from earning a spot in the 2022 50-over World Cup. Despite qualifying for the 2023 T20 World Cup, they were defeated by Scotland in the qualification.
Graeme West, Director of High Performance at Cricket Ireland, commented, “While it’s a sad day to see such a respected figure step down, Ed’s impact on the senior women’s programme will be felt for years to come. He has been instrumental in transforming the senior women’s set-up during his tenure, instilling in the players a sense that they belong at the sport’s top table. While we tried to convince Ed to extend his time in the role, he felt that this was an appropriate time to refresh the leadership.
“He’ll lead the team one last time at the Qualifier in Pakistan this April, then handover what is a strong foundation for the next head coach to build upon. We’re immensely grateful for Ed’s contributions in this latest incarnation of his wonderful service to Irish cricket – and as he says, we hope to see him back in some capacity in the future. It’s also important to send our thanks to Ed’s family – Fran, Georgiou and Sebastian – for their unwavering support over the last six years.”
(Quotes sourced from Cricket Ireland media release)
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