Sarah Taylor joins Sussex’s backroom team in first FEMALE appointment in men’s county cricket

Sarah Taylor will bring her wicketkeeping excellence to the men’s game this summer when she joins the Sussex coaching staff.

Taylor, widely considered one of the best keepers of the modern era across both men’s and women’s cricket, will join new joint head coaches Ian Salisbury and James Kirtley at Hove where she will work with first-team keepers Ben Brown and Phil Salt.

It is believed to be the first time a woman has been employed by an English county as a specialist first-team coach even though Taylor has spent some time with the Sussex men in the past on an occasional basis. 

Ex-England star Sarah Taylor has been appointed on Sussex’s coaching staff for this summer

Taylor, 31, retired from international cricket in 2019 following a battle with anxiety and will continue coaching at St Bede’s School in Eastbourne as well as working part-time at Sussex.

‘I want to share my experience and expertise to help the keepers at Sussex get the most from their game,’ said Taylor, who earned 226 England caps in her outstanding 13-year career. ‘I’m a big believer in keeping things simple and perfecting the basics.’

Former Sussex and England bowler Kirtley added: ‘Sarah has so much to offer our keepers but also our environment. She is hugely skilled in keeping but can also add great perspective to a situation and is a fantastic communicator.’

The former wicketkeeper will work with Sussex’s first-team keepers Ben Brown and Phil Salt.