Lydia Greenway, former England batter, has been appointed as the head coach of the Oval-based women’s team for the Hundred on September 18 (Wednesday). She joins Charlotte Edwards, Lisa Keightley, Danielle Hazell and Salliann Briggs as the fifth woman to be put in-charge of the teams for the 100-ball competition, beginning in July 2020.
“Coaching is something that I’m hugely passionate about. When you’re working with players who want to get better and improve all of the time, that’s special,” Greenway said shortly after her signing. “I feel extremely privileged to have this chance. It’s an opportunity to work with the best players in the country and the best players from around the world, which is really exciting.”
The left-hander played over 200 international matches for England over the course of 16 years. Within that span of time she established herself as one of the team's leading batters, scoring 4108 runs, including one hundred and 14 fifties. She was also one of the best fielders in the world - consistently raising the bar in the women's game.
During her career, Greenway was part of the England team that won the ICC Women’s World Cup and Women’s World T20 in 2009. She also won five-Ashes series - playing a pivotal role in the team's triumph in 2013.
The 34-year-old believes the tournament, which will feature eight city-based clubs - Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cardiff, Southampton and two in London (Lord’s and the Oval) - will provide a platform for domestic players to showcase their skills and impress selectors for national call-ups.
“The Hundred will provide a platform for domestic players to step forward and make their case for selection on a stage that is as close to international cricket as you can get,” she concluded.