Fran Wilson, fresh from winding down a playing career that began almost two decades ago, will lead Gloucestershire Women into the new county structure as head coach. The former England batter, 33, steps away from Somerset – her first and last county as a player – to focus fully on coaching in Bristol.
The headline points first. Wilson replaces outgoing coach Chris Guest (who moves to the men’s pathway), starts immediately, and will guide the side in Tier 2 next summer. Her on-field CV includes 64 England caps, a 2017 World Cup winner’s medal and stints in The Hundred, the WBBL and pretty much every southern county.
“I’ve done a lot of coaching alongside playing over the last five or six years, but it’s really exciting to now step into that journey fully,” Wilson said. “Especially with Gloucestershire, a great club that I’ve been involved with for a long time. We all want results, but the real goal is to build sustainable success and to put the foundations in place that allow us to compete and thrive as a Tier 1 Club.
“A huge part of my role is about building those foundations from the first team right through to the age groups, having a genuine influence across that pathway. By developing the resources we already have in the county and creating a strong network and structure around the players, I believe we can achieve long-term success.”
Those words will strike a chord at Nevil Road, where the women’s set-up has been revamped to align with the ECB’s new pyramid. Gloucestershire have long prided themselves on a joined-up pathway, and Wilson’s time running the Girls Emerging Players Programme gives her a running start.
Jon Lewis, the county’s Director of Cricket, made no secret of his enthusiasm. “Everyone at Gloucestershire is really excited about the appointment of Fran Wilson as Women’s Head Coach,” he said. “We went through a thorough recruitment process, and Fran was the standout candidate throughout. With strong roots in cricket across the South West, a deep passion for Bristol and Gloucestershire, and a long-standing connection with the Club, that understanding of the region was an important factor for us.
“Fran demonstrated an exceptional range of qualities during the process and this marks a hugely significant appointment in an area where we have serious ambition. It also comes at the start of a landmark year for the Club, with Bristol set to host England Women v India in May, followed by six matches during next summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in June.
“An outstanding playing career, a history of success at both club and international level and a deep understanding of elite performance make this an appointment we are extremely proud of. The environment Fran will build will be welcoming, driven and true to the ‘Gloucestershire way’. Our aim is to provide the best possible environment for our players to learn and develop and we believe Fran is the ideal person to lead that journey.”
Wilson’s coaching hands are already chalked. She has logged hours with Western Storm, run batting clinics for Welsh Fire and mentored at Sunrisers during the off-season. Those assignments, plus 19 summers in county cricket, give her the mix of technical know-how and pastoral care modern programmes demand.
For Somerset, the departure ends a long relationship that began in 2006, though the county were quick to wish her well. For Gloucestershire, it is the start of a project expected to mesh immediate competitiveness with a longer-term push for Tier 1 status. Either way, Wilson’s next innings begins now.
