'Edwards era will be a turning point for England'

BBC News

10-04-2025

I've known Charlotte Edwards since I was 11 years old.I was a wide-eyed young cricketer at England development trials and Lot - or Lottie, as many know her - was the 16-year-old prodigy already playing for England.Having captained her country, she now takes over as head coach at a pivotal time.While she will need buy-in from all the players and a vision for success, a 16-0 Ashes defeat in Australia should be enough motivation and I'm sure this will be a turning point.It has to be.
Following the departure of Jon Lewis, Lot will want to assert control but she is also well-versed in the importance of not panicking and empowering the players.The last thing she wants is to rein it in too much and England lose the ability to play with freedom.Balance is key, and while courage and having no fear of failure is important, England's biggest problem in the Ashes was a lack of ruthlessness and discipline at key moments.There is enough to work with, though. Yes, Australia are fitter and have more depth but, despite the scoreline, most England players have improved in skill, which is what Lot sees too.One of her first tasks is to appoint a captain.Lot has a relationship with Nat Sciver-Brunt from their time as England team-mates and recently at Mumbai Indians. Sciver-Brunt is England vice-captain and has said she wants the job.The risk is whether England are asking too much of their best player, who has recently become a mother.Pat Cummins faced a similar dilemma when he became Australia captain before an Ashes, shortly after the birth of his first child. It's fair to say he's managed it effectively but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing to do for Nat. It will be a careful consideration in the coming weeks.
'A mesmerising aura'
Lot always seemed to have so much time at the crease as a batter, as if her mind was a crystal ball predicting what was coming.She had a mesmerising aura and was the one batter I regularly struggled to execute a plan to of how to dismiss.As her team-mate, I saw her do it to every international bowling attack.Scoring runs came naturally but, after Lot took on the captaincy for the first time in 2005 when Clare Connor was injured, she faced a real test of her leadership - not winning a single game on a tour in India.That didn't deter her, though. She had a vision to overtake Australia and make us the best team in the world.The foundations were there. We had just won an Ashes for the first time in 42 years, so there was real belief in the group.Lot led by example, but there was also an authority that could be quite intimidating.She wore her heart on her sleeve and, as the best player, it would hurt immensely if we let her down. Over time, she learned to become more approachable and empathetic and that's what I see in her now as a coach.In winning both the T20 and 50-over World Cups in 2009, along with the Ashes, we became the most successful England side in history.At times, it was Lot's ability to make tough calls to protect the team that led to this success.She won't be afraid of making difficult calls here if anything doesn't align with the vision.We struggled to maintain that consistency over the next cycle, but when new players came through, the youth revived her ambition. The captaincy and success continued.
'Players respond well to her'
However, her presence as a leader eventually became a block for others to bloom, which worked against her in the end.After being told England would move on from her as captain and a player in 2016, I felt for her. There was a brutality to it because she was still playing well.While fitness became a talking point, ultimately the coach wanted a team that didn't rely on her leadership.Eight years on and Heather Knight has found herself in the same unfortunate position around the captaincy. There is no other option but for others to step up.No doubt that period came with a lot of soul-searching for Lot, but resilient people always find a way.She tried different things but coaching just made sense, her passion for cricket never dimming. She understood a need to learn from the past, upgrade and adapt.With success at Hampshire, Southern Brave, Sydney Sixers and Mumbai Indians, working in different environments with players of different standards, it's obvious they respond well to her.During this year's Women's Premier League, where she led Mumbai to the title, I was fortunate to watch her at close quarters.With vastly different cricketing backgrounds and languages, she found ways to articulate her message to each player, showing patience and a desire to get to know them all.There was pressure to win but her first priority was always to protect and nurture, especially the less experienced players, so they could deliver with a calm head.With another major trophy to her name, there is no doubt she is ready to lead England.