ECB appoint Leah Poulton as England Women's Managing Director

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has appointed former Australia international Leah Poulton as the Managing Director, England Women, tasking her with overseeing the success of the international team and the country's player pathways. Poulton will begin her new role in November this year.

Poulton featured in 48 ODIs, 40 T20Is and two Tests for Australia between 2009 and 2012 before retiring from playing in 2015. Her transition into the coaching and administrative side of the game has been swift and impressive. She began as an assistant coach with both Sydney-based teams in the WBBL, then spent three years as Pathway Manager and Assistant Coach for the New South Wales Breakers.

She subsequently joined Cricket Australia as a High Performance coach, where she worked with the Australia A, Under-19s and Under-15s women's teams, overseeing the introduction of the Under-19 and A team programmes and their first overseas tours. In April 2020, Poulton became Head of Elite Female Cricket at Cricket NSW, a role she has held for the past six years.

A new era at the helm

At the ECB, Poulton will be accountable for the performances of England Women, England Women A, England Women U19s, and the overall effectiveness and reputation of the women's high-performance system. She will work closely with England women's head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.

ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould welcomed the appointment, pointing to the progress made under Edwards and the team's run to the final of this summer's ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

"With the progress the team has made under Charlotte Edwards and having reached the final of this summer's ICC Women's T20 World Cup, England Women are well placed for a successful era. I'm delighted to welcome Leah on board to help us build on this and take us to the next level. She has a deep understanding of international cricket from her playing career and has built an impressive reputation in her time in administration. I believe she and Lottie will be a formidable combination, and will continue the team's progress and development as we compete for the ICC Women's Champions Trophy and Women's Ashes in 2027."

Poulton pays tribute to predecessor

Poulton expressed her delight at landing the role and paid tribute to her predecessor, Clare Connor, who recently left the ECB after 18 years in the job.

"I'm incredibly excited and honoured to be joining England, and to have the opportunity to help shape our programmes and, most importantly, invest in our people. I'm looking forward to working with Charlotte, Nat and the wider team, building on the strong foundations already in place and taking the programme forward."

"I'd also like to acknowledge the incredible contribution Clare Connor has made to England and to cricket around the world. She has played such an important role in advancing the game, and I'm grateful to be taking on a role she has shaped so significantly."

"I know how vital strong pathways and a healthy domestic game are to sustained success, so I'm looking forward to connecting with people across the game and helping give the next generation of English players every opportunity to thrive. It's a huge privilege to be part of England Women, and I can't wait to get started," Poulton said.

With major assignments including the ICC Women's Champions Trophy and the Women's Ashes in 2027 on the horizon, Poulton inherits a programme in buoyant mood and a strong platform to build upon.