Julia Price joins Brisbane Heat coaching staff, becomes the first female to do so in Big Bash League.
Former Aussie cricketer Julia Price is all set to coach the men’s team of Brisbane Heat in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL). Price who has represented Australia in the past thus becomes the first female coach in the history of the tournament.
Brisbane Heat has appointed Julia Price as an assistant coach for the upcoming season. She will join Brisbane Heat head coach Darren Lehmann in the coaching staff.
Julia Price is a former wicketkeeper who has played 10 Tests and 84 ODIs for Australia. She was also part of the World Cup winning Australian sides in 1997 and 2005. Currently she is a commentator with Channel 7 as well as the head coach of the USA women’s team.
The announcement was made during the broadcast of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) final. “I’m pretty excited about that I have to admit,” Price said on-air. “I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to be around the guys and seeing how they do it differently to what the girls do. Having been in the Hurricanes set up for the WBBL, it will be interesting to see how the BBL does it,” she added.
#BREAKING: A big announcement during the broadcast. @7Cricket's @julia_price1 has joined @darren_lehmann as a Brisbane Heat #BBL09 Assistant Coach!
Details 👉 https://t.co/TIrfmCyvpu#BringTheHeat #WBBLFinals #WBBL05 pic.twitter.com/2h4sHqam2I
— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) December 8, 2019
Price has already worked with Tasmania in the Women’s National Cricket League and coached Hobart Hurricanes in the first edition of WBBL.
As reported by Laura Jolly of cricket.com.au, Price who was a wicketkeeper herself, said that she was looking forward to work with South African great AB de Villiers who is an overseas recruit of Brisbane Heat.
Head coach Lehmann applauded Price’s appointment. “She has an excellent cricket brain and plenty of experience as a head coach, so I can see her fitting quite neatly into our set-up,” he said.
Price will be guiding the team alongside head coach Darren Lehmann, assistant James Hopes, bowling coach Ryan Harris and coaching assistant Gavin Fitness. Price will be joining the team when Harris departs for his coaching duties with the Under 19 men’s team.
She will join the Heat before their match with Perth Scorchers at Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast on January 1.
Loves all things female cricket