Lisa Keightley steps down as head coach of England Women
England women's cricket team's head coach Lisa Keightley will be stepping down from her post at the end of this summer. The 50-year-old Australian decided not to pursue a contract extension. She will take guard for the last time in the home series against India scheduled next month. Keightley guided England to the final of the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup. Here's more.
A look at the developments
Keightley took over the reins in late 2019. She led England to the semi-finals of the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup and later the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup final, wherein they lost to their arch-rivals, Australia. She guided England to the semi-finals in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. England lost the semis and then the bronze medal duel to New Zealand.
What's next for England Women?
The England cricket board will hunt for a new head coach, given there's the Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa next year in February. Meanwhile, England will host India Women in September. The series will comprise three T20Is and as many ODIs.
Keightley excelled as a coach in domestic cricket
Keightley made a record 91 appearances for New South Wales at the domestic level. Post her career, Keightley was roped in as the side's full-time coach. She led NSW to back-to-back titles in only two years since taking charge. In 2007, she became the first woman-appointed coach of the national side, taking the reins from Mark Sorell.
One of the greats of the game
Keightley remains one of the batting greats in the history of women's cricket. The top-order batter compiled 2,630 runs in 82 WODIs at 39.84. She slammed four hundreds and 21 fifties. She amassed 378 runs across nine games in red-ball cricket, averaging 27.00. She struck three fifties (HS: 90). Keightley made a solo appearance in T20Is against England in 2005.
A look at her notable records
At the time of her retirement, Keightley was Australia's third-leading run-getter in WODIs and seventh overall. She was the first woman to register a century at Lord's (113* versus England, 1998). Keightley's 156* against Pakistan is the third-highest score by an Australian woman in ODIs, ranking behind Belinda Clark's 229* and Alyssa Healy's 170.
