Former England internationals Caroline Foster and Lisa Pagett have been named head coach and general manager respectively of the South West team set to compete in the inaugural Women’s Cricket Super League.
Foster was part of the England women’s teams that secured world titles in the 50-over and the T20 formats, and has since progressed to coaching.
The South West team comprises Somerset, Gloucestershire and the University of Exeter, and it will compete in the WCSL which begins this summer.
Foster (nee Atkins) will take charge of the head coach role, while Pagett, who has worked as Head Coach of the England Women’s Development Programme, was named the general manager.
The duo have extensive experience in coaching women’s cricket, Foster at Somerset and Pagett at Gloucestershire, and are now set to team up.
Foster, who made her international playing debut in 2001, said: “I am passionate about the women’s game and I am delighted to have been chosen for this really exciting opportunity.
Great to have Lisa Pagett (General Manager) and Caroline Foster (Head Coach) on board for our #WCSL team! pic.twitter.com/8fJNG2IAvx
— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) February 24, 2016
“The women’s game continues to grow at pace and I believe my biggest impact on the sport is ahead of me.
“I am relishing the opportunity to shape the identity of the South West team and share in the responsibility of keeping the women’s game moving forward across the West Country.”
Pagett, runner up in the National ECB Sky Sports ‘Coach of the Year Award’ in 2013, said of her appointment: “The game has been a passion of mine from a very early age.
“I feel privileged to have played 12 seasons of County cricket for Somerset, 14 seasons of Premier League cricket for Bath CC, captained the ECB South West Under 19 team and spent 3 years as part of the England Development squad.
“Having made the transition to indoor cricket I was also lucky enough to play for England in two World Cups.”
The appointments for the South West consortium follow that made at Hampshire, where Nick Denning is set to coach their WCSL team.
Source: ECB