The ECB has announced the appointment of Chris Guest as England Women U19 Performance Lead.
Guest arrives from The Blaze where he spent three years as head coach of Loughborough Lightning and then The Blaze following the region’s move to Nottinghamshire in 2022, leading the latter to Charlotte Edwards Cup success this summer.
Alongside his regional commitments, he led the England Women U19 World Cup programme as the first head coach in 2023 and then the U19 tri-series between Sri Lanka, England and Australia earlier this year.
The 40-year-old has also been assistant coach at Northern Superchargers during the previous three editions of The Hundred.
The first of its kind performance role has a significant coaching element as head coach of the U19 side for the forthcoming ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 in Malaysia as well as future tours whilst also leading on talent identification from the academy and senior programmes which will feed into England’s U19 activity.
Guest previously worked at the ECB as a regional talent manager, Derbyshire in a coaching capacity and Staffordshire Cricket as lead performance and pathway coach.
Guest said: “The pride and excitement of wearing the Three Lions over last few years has been immense and to be able to do so in this new role is an incredible feeling.
“With the growth of the women’s game, it’s a privilege to take on this role as it will focus on ensuring our young cricketers get the cricket they need at the right time which I am extremely passionate about.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at The Blaze. It’s a great place to work and has been massive part of my development and I wish them every success in the future.
“Having left the ECB four years ago, I have gone away and grown. I’m really excited to take on this role and work with the country’s top talent whilst putting my own stamp on things. My philosophy is centred around creating environments where players are willing to fail in order to improve. We all began playing for the love of the game and I cannot wait to see the next generation of cricketers enjoying what they do and playing with smiles on their faces.
“I can’t wait to work with the other coaches and wider staff and to get started.”
Head of England Women Performance Pathways, Richard Bedbrook, said: “We are delighted to have Chris on board.
“He has vast experience in the women’s game, strong relationships with and knowledge of all of our domestic teams and this new full-time role will allow him to help shape the development of our highest potential players in a collaborative fashion before, during and after any international U19 activity.
“His qualities have hugely affected the previous England Women U19 environments and we are all looking forward to his inspirational methods influencing future programmes and systems in a positive way.”
Director of England Women’s Cricket, Jonathan Finch, added: “The ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup provides fantastic opportunities for our young talent to experience tournament match play against their peers from other countries.
“Chris’s appointment allows us to build on those experiences, through closer relationships with the counties, to enhance the support the players get at this age group.
“Chris brings a wealth of experience from the women’s domestic game and will play a key role in shaping the experiences young players have on their journey to international cricket.”
With thanks to the ECB
