Ireland Women’s cricket team has appointed Lloyd Tennant as their new head coach, with his tenure set to begin on 1 June. Tennant, who previously coached Central Sparks, will step into the role vacated by Ed Joyce, who wrapped up nearly six years as head coach following the team’s performance at the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier.
Joyce’s departure sees Tennant, a 57-year-old with a wealth of experience, at the helm. Having earned his stripes as an ECB Level 4 coach, Tennant spent four years with Central Sparks. Following changes to the domestic cricket structure in England and Wales, the regional team folded, making way for county-based competitions.
Tennant brings with him a varied coaching background, having held roles such as assistant coach in the England Women’s pathway and at Manchester Originals in the Women’s Hundred. His two years as ECB women and girls’ talent manager and time as a bowling coach for England Under-19s further underscore his expertise.
In his new role, Tennant acknowledges the promising state of women’s cricket. “It’s such a great time to be involved in women’s cricket, given its rapid development around the world,” he remarked. He expressed his intent to build on Joyce’s legacy, emphasising the squad’s significant progress under his predecessor’s leadership.
Graeme West, Cricket Ireland’s director of high performance, shared his support for Tennant’s appointment. “We believe Lloyd is the perfect fit for the current national squad that has an abundance of young talent.” West lauded Tennant’s experience with the ECB, which provided him with insights into managing players balancing education and elite sport.
Reflecting on his tenure, Ed Joyce highlighted two key moments. “The first was when we went from a mainly amateur team to a more professional set-up,” Joyce noted. He expressed pride in introducing full-time players to the squad, a move that has bolstered their competitive edge. “The second thing is the change in the personnel in the squad,” Joyce added, acknowledging the challenges of replacing key players while lauding young talents who have stepped up over the past year and a half.
The Irish women’s team has a busy schedule ahead, including a series against Zimbabwe for three T20 internationals and two ODIs in late July, followed by hosting three T20 internationals against Pakistan in August.
