Price appointed USA women head coach

www.icc-cricket.com

NEW YORK: Julia Price, the former Australia Women wicketkeeper, has been appointed the head coach of the USA women’s national team, a USA Cricket release confirmed on Thursday.

Price, who was one of three candidates vying for the role, is a two-time ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup winner, having been a part of the Australian teams that lifted the trophy in 1997 and 2005. She played 84 One-Day Internationals and 10 Tests for Australia in an international career that spanned over nine years.

Most recently, Price served as coach of Hobart Hurricanes in the Women’s Big Bash League.

Price has also worked as a consultant coach during one of the USA Cricket Combines, the board’s programme to find the best men’s, women’s and youth cricket talent across the United States of America, when they had a partnership with Cricket Australia.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to have been appointed as head coach for the USA Cricket women’s national team,” Price said.

“I believe that the potential for growth of cricket in America, particularly in the women’s game, is quite phenomenal. We have a huge year coming up, so I can’t wait to get going with the squad and hit the ground running from this weekend.”

Price takes over during an important season for the USA team. They are set to take on Canada in the three-match ICC Women’s Qualifier Americas 2019, with a spot at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019, at stake.

“USA Cricket is extremely fortunate to engage the expertise of Julia over the coming months as we prepare to qualify to both ICC global events in 2019 and 2020,” USA project officer Wade Edwards said.

“Julia brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, from both her playing and coaching background, in a number of Full and Associate Member countries, and on behalf of the cricket community, I’m happy to welcome her to the team.”