Kate Coppack, the English pacer and lawyer by profession, is set to embark on a new chapter in her career as a full-time cricketer. Having played a pivotal role in Sunrisers’ triumph in last summer’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy under the previous regional structure, Coppack has now decided to dedicate herself entirely to the sport.
This summer, she will be joining Essex, marking a significant step in her cricketing journey. Balancing the legal world with competitive cricket, Coppack’s transition highlights her commitment to the game as she looks to make an impact in the county setup.
Adding to that, she has now embarked on a new journey with a professional contract at Chelmsford where the women’s game is all set for a new era. “When I was growing up, it [turning pro] wasn’t an option at all,” Coppack told BBC Look East.
“Even when I was at uni, it wouldn’t have been an option for me to be a professional cricketer – law was always the career path and cricket was playing on the weekends, seeing how high I could go amateurly.
But when the game became professional, there were added incentives, the standard got better, and I really enjoyed working hard at my game and seeing where it could go. It was kind of a natural progression to try to get a fully professional contract while I still can.”
Essex is among the eight women’s county teams that have been awarded full-time, tier-one professional status by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). While Nottinghamshire has opted to retain its previous regional identity as The Blaze, these teams will compete in their own editions of the T20 Blast and the 50-over One-Day Cup this season.
Previously, Kate Coppack represented Sunrisers on a match-fee basis, delivering a standout performance of 4-27 in a rain-shortened Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final last September, which earned her the Player of the Match award as her side triumphed over SouthEast Stars.
Now, with cricket taking centre stage in her career, Coppack is set to fully commit to the sport, stepping away from her legal profession for the time being.
“In terms of how much studying I did, and training, in total it was seven years – five years of studying, then two years in practice,” she said. “It’s a long road to become a lawyer and I didn’t stop it lightly. I did think about it for a while.”
Coppack, who has also been a part of the Welsh Fire in The Hundred, expressed that she will miss her legal career, as she loved both the firm and the team she worked with. However, she is glad to now have the opportunity to focus entirely on cricket. She acknowledged that she will miss the intellectual stimulation her legal work provided and plans to continue doing some work alongside her cricketing commitments.
She added that the winter season will offer more opportunities for legal work, as there will be considerable downtime, allowing her to balance both careers effectively. When the cricketer was just 13 years of age, she became the first player to play for the first XI at King’s School in Chester.
Essex team director Andy Tennant mentioned that while Sunrisers always had a few full-time professionals, many players who previously balanced their careers with part-time cricket are now able to commit fully to the sport, which is a great opportunity for them.
Tennant hopes that Essex can build on the progress made by Sunrisers in 2024, a season that saw them claim their first major trophy. Alongside Coppack, Essex has brought in several other players from the squad to strengthen their team. He emphasized the goal of remaining competitive across all formats, focusing on their strengths, and aiming for silverware in the future.
All-rounder Eva Gray sees the diverse paths taken by squad members to reach this level as a key strength. She pointed out that while some players have only recently transitioned to full-time cricket, others have been professional for five or six years, bringing a mix of experience and fresh energy to the team.
“The whole way through the Sunrisers era, we were all pretty understanding of different scenarios and people’s commitments. Now, for us to pull together as one big full-time squad is really key. We’re looking forward to seeing the progress we can make.”
Coppack reckons to have plenty of time to be a part of the law world, as for now, she wants to enjoy the game of cricket.
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