Leah Poulton Appointed Managing Director of England Women’s Cricket

The England and Wales Cricket Board has turned to an Australian to steer the next phase of England women’s cricket, appointing former international batter Leah Poulton as managing director.

Poulton, 42, will take up the role in November, replacing Clare Connor and stepping straight into the heart of an England setup bracing for a home Ashes next summer. An Australian in charge of England women, with Australia arriving as the benchmark side in the world game. The storyline writes itself.

From Big Bash Dugouts to England’s High-Performance Nerve Centre

Poulton arrives with a résumé built across every layer of Australia’s women’s system. She played 90 times for her country, but her influence since retirement has been even more striking.

She worked as assistant coach at Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League, gaining a close-up view of how to build and manage elite T20 environments. At Cricket New South Wales she served as pathway manager and assistant coach for the NSW Breakers, helping to shape the conveyor belt that has fed Australia’s dominance.

Her rise continued with a stint as high performance coach at Cricket Australia, before she returned to Cricket NSW as head of elite female cricket, a position she has held for the past six years. That role placed her at the centre of talent identification, development structures and high-performance culture – precisely the areas England now want to sharpen.

A Wide Remit and High Expectations

The ECB has handed Poulton sweeping responsibility. She will be accountable for the performances of England women, England women A and England women U19s, as well as the overall effectiveness and reputation of the women’s high-performance system.

This is not a ceremonial appointment. It is a mandate.

Working closely with head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, Poulton is tasked with setting a clear, unified vision designed to keep England competing with – and beating – the best on the world stage. The trio will effectively form the leadership spine of the national programme, from pathways to podium.

Poulton’s Vision: Pathways, People, and the Next Generation

Poulton did not hide her enthusiasm for the challenge.

She described herself as “incredibly excited and honoured” to be joining England, highlighting the chance to shape programmes and, crucially, to invest in people. Her language underlined what has defined her career so far: structure and standards, but also connection.

She spoke of building on “strong foundations already in place” and driving the programme forward alongside Edwards, Sciver-Brunt and the wider team. The emphasis fell repeatedly on pathways and domestic strength – the twin pillars she believes underpin sustained success.

Poulton stressed how vital strong pathways and a healthy domestic game are to long-term results, and outlined her intention to connect with people across the game to give the next generation of English players every opportunity to thrive. For an ECB determined to deepen its talent pool beyond the current core, that focus will be central.

A New Era as Connor Bows Out

Her arrival coincides with the end of an era. Clare Connor, a central figure in the professionalisation and growth of women’s cricket in England, will leave her ECB role after the Women’s T20 World Cup.

Connor helped drag the women’s game into a new landscape of contracts, visibility and expectation. Poulton inherits that platform – and the pressure that comes with it.

With Australia due in England for the women’s Ashes next summer, an Australian architect will now help design England’s response. The question is simple: can she turn structure and vision into a team ruthless enough to dethrone the nation she once represented?