A first look at the Charlotte Edwards era - evolution or revolution?

Photo Credit: ECB

Numb, frustration and rock bottom. This was England on the 1st February 2025. A historic Test match but ultimately the nail in the coffin for Jon Lewis and Heather Knight in their respective roles as Head Coach and Captain.

It was the worst Ashes series in the history of women’s cricket in the professional era, a true disaster. There were cries for revolution, for a complete overhaul. Was the team culture rotten to the core?

That level of despair seems to be long gone yet England have not played a game of cricket since. The healer? Charlotte Edwards. There is automatic trust and believe if Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Edwards is coaching a team. Southern Vipers, Sydney Sixers, Mumbai Indians, Southern Brave – the list goes on. Lottie’s CV is a checklist of trophies, worldwide respect and a tried and tested successful coaching style.

It was no surprise when Lottie was announced as Lewis’ replacement, one of the figureheads of women’s cricket taking on a role she seems destined for. But was it going to be revolution or evolution that Lottie opted for?

The first lines from Lottie at Lords immediately set the time. Emphasis on centrally contracted players playing for their county, the reward for consistent domestic performances, a focus on fitness and a refresh for team culture – much of it is common sense (especially for long suffering women’s cricket fans!) but it all felt very radical compared to her predecessors. Radical but welcomed warmly.

A new captain was the first port of call with Heather Knight being removed as leader after nine years. Once again, Lottie had the option to be revolutionary and pick an outsider, perhaps Georgia Adams who she’d worked with closely at the Southern Vipers, maybe Hollie Armitage, one of the strongest regional captains or even 21-year-old Grace Scrivens, the captaincy prodigy. Alternatively, she had the centrally contracted players to chose from with Kate Cross and Tammy Beaumont capable candidates. In the end it was Nat Sciver-Brunt – arguably neither revolutionary nor evolutionary.

However, her decision to not pick a permanent vice-captain was revolutionary in order to be evolutionary. Building for the future is part of Lottie’s coaching DNA. Think then 16-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman signing for Southern Brave – she always has one eye on the next generation. Sharing vice-captaincy seems to be another example of that. Whether she looks to players like Charlie Dean or Sophia Dunkley with visions of years to come or more experienced names such as the aforementioned Tammy Beaumont, it’s an interesting approach. Succession planning has been one of England’s greatest faults over the years, so a glimpse of some forward thinking is always a relief.

Where interest was always going to be was that first squad. With six rounds of the Metrobank One Day Cup giving every county player a platform to demonstrate their value to Lottie, the importance of county cricket was reinforced.

Trying to remain somewhat incognito, Lottie was spotted across the country watching every round so far: in Beckenham, then a trip to Edgbaston and up the M6 to Old Trafford, she was everywhere. The proof was in the reveal of the squads as a few ODI and T20 additions had impressed for their respective teams.

Seamer Lauren Filer and all-rounders Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp were ruled out through injury. Sophie Ecclestone was also bundled into that group, only playing one round of the One Day Cup (the day of the announcement). The one significant omission was Maia Bouchier. Having worked together since 2018, Lottie probably knows Bouchier better than any coach. It’s a statement that

As previously mentioned, a key part of Lottie’s criteria was form in domestic cricket. Bouchier has produced some good innings, 61 vs Surrey, 77 vs Lancs, 53 vs Durham and 39 vs Somerset however, as an opener, she is in competition with the other fifteen opening batters in Tier 1 country cricket, a number of whom have superseded Bouchier on the runs table.

More importantly is who has been included. It’s a return to ODI cricket for Emma Lamb and Alice Davidson-Richards who have been run scoring machines for Lancashire and Surrey respectively. Lamb is the leading run scorer in the competition after seven innings, scoring 493 runs with an average of 82.16. Davidson-Richards has had a less headline grabbing season so far but perhaps has the advantage of being a middle order batter where there are fewer stronger county competitors. A century against Lancashire and 57* against Somerset on the opening day are perhaps her only highlights but importantly Lottie has been there watching, and she always has a plan.

For Warwickshire fans it was a bitter-sweet day. The blow of being thumped by Lancashire, finding out Issy Wong and Em Arlott have been called up to England and then the realisation that it’s not great news for One Day Cup and early T20 Blast hopes! Arlott is the joint-leading wicket take in the ODC so far with 14 to her tally and has earned a place in both the T20 and ODI teams.

Similarly to ADR, Wong hasn’t had the most eye-catching start but after being messed around during her 2022 stint with England, it’s reassuring that someone like Lottie wants to develop Wong. For Wong and Arlott it’s a case of seizing the opportunity and things falling into place for them. Arlott’s first England opportunity was hampered by Covid-19 but as one of the most consistent and economical bowling options, she was bound to get a call up.

While there have not been drastic, left-field selections from Tier Two or even Tier Three (I’m sure Lottie tuned in to see Shropshire beat Norfolk in the first round of the T20 Cup), the changes she has implemented in some ways are revolutionary. In the same breath, her choices are evolutionary while thinking about both the short-term English summer and the future of English cricket.

It could be a naïve view but it seems like nobody is completely out of contention. Of course, age is certainly a factor but, a string of good county performances, an increasing number of important eyes on every game and you too could be receiving a call from Charlotte Edwards.  

The proof in the pudding will be when England take to the field in Canterbury next Wednesday. Overnight England won’t have developed the agility of Australia or invincible openers (we can all keep dreaming) but the foundations have been built and it will be a new dawn for English women’s cricket.