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Diana Lewis joins ECB as women’s National Talent Manager

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced it had appointed Diana Lewis as its National Talent Manager for women’s cricket.

Lewis, who is currently England Netball’s Performance Pathway Manager, will oversee ECB’s talent development programme aimed at supporting the women’s professional game.

She will work closely with the wider cricket network to help identify and develop talented youngsters across a flourishing grassroots game – with more than 700 cricket clubs nationwide now offering cricket for women and girls.

A former Wales U21 netball player, Lewis’s previous management experience includes developing a sustainable talent development pathway linking the Netball Super League to the World Class Performance Programme.

She will report to the ECB’s Women’s High Performance Manager Jonathan Finch in her new role and will work closely with the England women’s management team to continuously improve provision across the pathway

Today’s announcement follows the recent appointment of the RFU’s Head of Regional Academies Alun Powell as a new National Talent Manager to develop and identify talented young cricketers in the men’s game below international level.

Both roles will be based predominantly at the National Cricket Performance Centre at Loughborough University and have been created following recommendations made by an independent review of the existing county talent pathway. They also reflect the aims of Cricket Unleashed – ECB’s new national framework for growing the game at every level.

Commenting on Di Lewis’s appointment, ECB’s Director, England Women’s Cricket Clare Connor added: “This is another important step forward in our plans to give more girls an opportunity to maximise their potential and embrace careers as professional cricketers – both with England Women and in the new Kia Super League.

“Cricket is attracting women and girls in ever increasing numbers at grassroots level – giving us a wider pool of talent from which to choose than ever before. It’s an exciting time in the women’s game for Diana to take on this role and she will have a critical part to play in shaping the development of our most talented youngsters.”

Report courtesy of the ECB