Former England cricketer Dani Hazell has weighed in on the speculation surrounding England’s next head coach after Jon Lewis stepped away from the role in the wake of a crushing 16-0 Ashes defeat. Speaking about the potential candidates, Hazell emphasized the need for a leader who could ‘put their mark on English cricket’.
While names like Charlotte Edwards have been floated, Jon Lewis’ sacking following a dismal Ashes campaign has left a significant coaching vacancy just as the domestic women’s setup undergoes a major shift in transformation. The timing could prove challenging for those involved in establishing the revamped county structure, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing changes.
Durham head coach Dani Hazell has not dismissed the possibility of taking on the vacant England coaching role, a position she sees as an opportunity for someone to make a lasting impact on English cricket.
“Obviously there’s these things on the horizon that could happen in the future but I’m really happy to be home and really want to put Durham in a really good position in the next few years,” she told the PA news agency.”
“I’m very, very happy at Durham at the moment. (England’s recruitment) is nothing to do with me. It’s well above my pay grade, all that.”
She mentioned that it’s a chance for someone to leave their stamp on English cricket, especially with the evolving domestic game. There could be subtle shifts in how things are approached. While the Ashes were tough for England, sometimes a fresh start presents an opportunity to truly make your mark.
During her international stint as a player, Hazell played under the captaincy of Charlotte Edwards and had heaps of appreciation for the English legend. “I played under Lottie for many, many years and she was a brilliant leader when I played with her,” said Hazell.
In the recently concluded third season of the Women’s Premier League, Edwards-coached Mumbai Indians etched history by clinching their second WPL title, defeating Delhi Capitals by a margin of 9 runs.
Bringing into account the success which Edwards has tasted in recent times at the coaching helm, the 36-year-old said, “She’s obviously now got a very good coaching CV and if that’s the direction that England go in, then I think she’ll only bring positives to it. I don’t have crystal balls, and I can’t say what’s going to happen, but if that was the case, then I’m sure she’d do a really good job.”
Danielle Hazell enjoyed a distinguished career as a limited-overs cricketer, making significant contributions to England’s success in both One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals. In ODIs, she claimed 59 wickets from 53 matches, with her best bowling figures being an impressive 4/32, maintaining an outstanding economy rate of 3.92.
Her consistency and skill with the ball were also evident in T20Is, where she took 85 wickets in 85 matches, boasting a solid economy of 5.55 and an average of 20.75. Hazell’s ability to control the game with her disciplined bowling made her a key player for England in the limited-overs formats throughout her career.
Post retirement from professional cricket, Hazell took up coaching assignment with the Yorkshire Diamonds ahead of the 2019 Women’s Cricket Super League. She then became head coach of its successor team, Northern Diamonds, ahead of the 2020 Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and in 2022 coached the team to glory.
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