Former England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor has been named Team Abu Dhabi assistant coach for the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10 competition in a historic moment for cricket.
The appointment means that Taylor will become the first female coach in men’s professional franchise cricket when the tournament gets under way on November 19.
Widely regarded as one of the best wicketkeepers in the history of the game, Taylor became the first female specialist coach at a men’s county side with Sussex in the United Kingdom.
She now builds on that by again treading new ground with Team Abu Dhabi, and Taylor hopes that her involvement with the Abu Dhabi T10 will inspire women and girls all over the world.
“Coming into this franchise world, you get players and coaches coming in from all around the world where it may not necessarily be the norm but I’d love to think that some young girl or some woman watching can see me in the coaching team and realise that’s an opportunity and they can push for it, saying ‘If she can do it, why can’t I?’,” said Taylor. “I do hope that it becomes a little more normal and I may be the first but I won’t be the last. Coaching is my passion and it’s kind of going down the men’s route, which is really exciting.
“I’ve never had issues in male environments and I enjoy the challenge. You always want to prove that you’re good enough, but that’s the same for any coach going into a new environment.”
Taylor, who won two ICC Women’s World Cups, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and represented England 226 times over the course of a stellar playing career, will serve as assistant to head coach Paul Farbrace for Team Abu Dhabi, who have also secured the services of former South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener.
Klusener is currently head coach of the Afghanistan team playing at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE and his presence adds yet more world-class experience to the coaching team.
“It came completely out of the blue and it was an amazing surprise,” Taylor said of reading a message from Team Abu Dhabi general manager Shane Anderson asking if she’d be interested in the post. “I’ve been counting down the days until I can get to Abu Dhabi and get going.
“I cannot wait. As soon as I found out who the staff was, that made it even more exciting and it was a light bulb moment that I would be stupid to miss out on the opportunity. I’ve got so much to learn, they’ve probably got so much to tell me and I’m very much going to be a sponge. I’ll have to be.
“I’m going to sit there with a notebook and write as much as I can down. They know that as well, and will teach me so much as I’m at the start of my coaching career.”
