England has parted ways with women’s cricket head coach Jon Lewis after a rough 16-0 defeat in the Ashes against Australia earlier this year. The former England bowler, who also led the team through a disappointing T20 World Cup last year, was let go after a full review by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Clare Connor, the managing director for England Women, thanked Lewis for his work since he took the role in November 2022 but acknowledged that the results in both the T20 World Cup and the Ashes weren’t good. She noted that under Lewis’s leadership, the team managed to draw the thrilling 2023 Women’s Ashes, which drew large crowds thanks to their exciting style of play, and had a strong run in bilateral matches with eight consecutive ODI series wins.
Lewis mentioned cultural differences as partly to blame for the team’s struggles against Australia, saying the Australians had an edge in athleticism. At 49, with a record of 52 wins out of 73 games, he expressed pride in his time with the team but regretted not being able to finish the challenging yet rewarding job of growing the women’s game in England.
He added that he’s eager to continue supporting women’s cricket in the future and wished the players well.
The England women’s team, who haven’t won any trophies since the 50-over World Cup in 2017, are gearing up for series against West Indies and India ahead of a 50-over World Cup in India later this year. Former captain Charlotte Edwards could be a possible replacement for Lewis.
