New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Cricket Ireland has appointed English coach Lloyd Tennant as the new head coach of the Ireland Women’s team, marking a fresh chapter for the national side following the departure of Ed Joyce. Tennant will formally begin his role on June 1, stepping in after Joyce concluded his nearly six-year stint last month following Ireland’s unsuccessful ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier campaign.

Tennant, 57, brings with him a wealth of coaching experience across both men’s and women’s cricket. A former professional cricketer with Leicestershire, Tennant is an ECB Level 4 qualified coach who has led the Central Sparks regional side for four seasons and has been deeply involved in the England Women’s development system.

His background includes roles with the England Women’s Pathway, Manchester Originals in The Hundred, and a stint as the ECB’s Women and Girls’ Talent Manager. He has also served as a bowling coach for the England Under-19 men’s team.

Excited about taking up the new challenge, Tennant said: “It’s such a great time to be involved in women’s cricket, given its rapid development around the world. This Ireland Women’s squad has moved forward enormously under the guidance of Ed Joyce, and I would like to continue his great work, supporting this squad as it continues to grow.”

Cricket Ireland’s high-performance director, Graeme West, emphasised that Tennant’s diverse and developmental coaching experience made him the ideal choice to guide a promising young Irish side.

“We believe Lloyd is the perfect fit for a national squad that has an abundance of young talent. His experience guiding players through Under-19 World Cup cycles and balancing elite sport with education is especially valuable to our system,” said West.

Ed Joyce, reflecting on his time as head coach, said the two most rewarding aspects of his tenure were helping transition the team into a more professional setup and witnessing the rise of talented young players after the exit of several experienced names.

“The hunger and desire to play for Ireland among the younger players has been clear. Seeing them make their mark on the international stage is the biggest reward for any coach,” he said.

Tennant’s first assignments will come in a packed home season. Ireland Women are set to host Zimbabwe for a series of three T20Is and two ODIs in late July, followed by three T20Is at home against Pakistan in August.

–IANS

hs/bsk/

*Except for the headings & sub-headings, this story has not been edited by The enewstime.in and has been published from IANS feed.