Sarah Taylor has been named the fielding coach for England ahead of the Test series against New Zealand. Taylor, a former England wicketkeeper-batter known for her exceptional skills in women’s Cricket, will step in temporarily for Carl Hopkinson, who is busy with IPL commitments for the Mumbai Indians.
Rob Key, managing director for England men’s cricket, announced her appointment after the squad was revealed for the first Test at Lord’s. Taylor has previously collaborated with Andrew Flintoff in the England Lions setup.
In her 13-year International career, Taylor earned 226 caps for England and played a key role in the team’s victory in the 2017 Women’s World Cup. She has also gained coaching experience in men’s cricket with Sussex and Manchester Originals. This role is thought to be the first time a female coach will work with a senior men’s international cricket team.
“I believe she’s one of the best in the field. She has been outstanding and has worked closely with Andrew Flintoff and Ed Barney, the performance director. Their praise for her is high. From what we observe, she’s among the best,” Key stated, according to ESPNcricinfo.
England faced challenges in fielding during their 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia, missing 11 catches throughout the series. The lack of a specialist fielding coach became a significant point of discussion after the series. Following the Ashes, Hopkinson was appointed as the fielding coach, while Troy Cooley returned as the first full-time bowling coach since Jon Lewis left the position in 2022.
“We’ve been really impressed with [Taylor] and her approach. Carl Hopkinson, like many in cricket, is currently working with Mumbai Indians. He still has many responsibilities there, so we will utilize him in the future, but not for this series,” Key noted.