Taylor named England fielding coach in landmark move
Former wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor will be England's fielding coach during the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, making her the first woman to coach an England men's side in a major sport. Taylor, 36, played 226 times for England between 2006 and 2019 and is regarded as one of the best wicketkeepers to have played the game. Taylor has worked as a coach in men's cricket with Sussex, Manchester Originals and with England Lions, including this winter.
"She's one of the best in the business at what she does," said England's managing director of men's cricket Rob Key. "She's been outstanding, and she's worked a lot with [Lions head coach] Andrew Flintoff and Ed Barney [performance director]. "They can't speak highly enough of her.
So from what we can see, she's one of the best in the business. " Hampshire's Dawson retires from first-class cricket Taylor's chance comes with Carl Hopkinson, who returned to the England set-up in white-ball cricket earlier this year, currently at the Indian Premier League with Mumbai Indians. Key suggested both he and Taylor will continue to work with the team in the future.
Speaking to BBC Sport last winter, Taylor said: "I still am not someone who wants the limelight, I just want to be good at my job. That's how I want to go about my coaching really. "I love being a trailblazer but without the attention.
I want to see how far I can go, and work with some of the best players that I can. " Other significant female appointments in men's sport have included Marie-Louise Eta, who was named interim boss of Bundesliga football team Union Berlin in April, Hannah Dingley's brief stint as Forest Green caretaker manager in 2023 and former British tennis number one Andy Murray, who employed Amelie Mauresmo from 2014 to 2016. England's first Test against New Zealand begins at Lord's on 4 June and it is their first in the format since their dismal Ashes defeat.