She will be the first woman to have filled the role full time, though former Test wicketkeeper Ruth Prideaux had the honour of being England’s first-ever head coach in 1988.

[caption id=”attachment_125623″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Robinson left his position as England Women’s head coach after Australia’s Women’s Ashes victory[/caption]

Keightley has coaching experience at New South Wales, where she became the first full-time women’s coach in 2005, and Perth Scorchers, whom she led to successive Women’s Big Bash League finals in 2017 and 2018, while she was named head coach of London Spirit’s women’s side, a position she has vacated to take up her new role. Keightley has 92 Australia caps to her name and was the first woman to make a century at Lord’s.

She will commence her duties in the new year, with interim coach Ali Maiden taking charge for the upcoming tour to Malaysia to play Pakistan.

[caption id=”attachment_125621″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Lisa Keightley in action for New South Wales[/caption]

“It’s a huge opportunity. It’s a team full of world-class players,” Keightley said. “To be given the chance to work with some of the players who I worked with a few years ago is really exciting. I can’t wait to get started and see where we can get to.”

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“I’m sure that Lisa’s appointment will rightly be seen as another huge step for women’s cricket,” ECB’s director of women’s cricket Clare Connor said. “Lisa was the stand-out candidate from a varied and highly talented group of applicants. She outlined clear plans as to how she believes she can take the team and this group of players forward.”

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