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Australian Poulton Named England Women's Chief
Confirmed
In Short: Leah Poulton, a former Australian cricketer and administrator, has been appointed as the managing director of England women's cricket, succeeding Clare Connor after 18 years.
Poulton, known for her calm and clear communication, will be accountable for the performances of England women, England women A, and the overall effectiveness and reputation of the women's high-performance system, according to the ECB.
The appointment is part of significant changes in the set-up of the England women's team, with Clare Connor stepping down after 18 years of service. Poulton will work closely with head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt to set a clear, unified vision for England women to consistently succeed on the world stage, the ECB added.
Poulton has previously held roles as assistant coach for Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers in the Women's Big Bash League and as pathway manager and assistant coach for Cricket New South Wales. She will begin her new role in November 2026.
What's confirmed
- "I'm incredibly excited and honoured to be joining England and to have the opportunity to help shape our programmes and, most importantly, invest in our people," said Poulton.
- Poulton has been a player, coach and administrator in cricket The England and Wales Cricket Board has appointed Australian Leah Poulton as the managing director of England women.
What's still developing
- Poulton is known as a calm, clear communicator, not afraid to have difficult conversations when required.
- The England men's team has two head coaches from New Zealand - Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum - and a selector from Australia in Marcus North.
- Now in Leah Poulton, another Australian goes in at the top of the game in this country.
- Along with Clare Connor, women's performance manager Jonathan Finch has also left the ECB and Poulton effectively comes in as a replacement for both.
- In her time at the ECB, Connor had many different roles, acting as deputy chief executive of the organisation as well as holding positions at the International Cricket Council and Marylebone Cricket Club.
- “With the progress the team has made under Charlotte Edwards and having reached the final of this summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, England Women are well placed for a successful era. I’m delighted to welcome Leah on board to help us build on this and take us to the next level. She has a deep understanding of international cricket from her playing career and has built an impressive reputation in her time in administration. I believe she and Lottie will be a formidable combination, and will continue the team's progress and development as we compete for the ICC Women's Champions Trophy and Women's Ashes in 2027," said Gould as quoted by ECB.
- “I know how vital strong pathways and a healthy domestic game are to sustained success, so I'm looking forward to connecting with people across the game and helping give the next generation of English players every opportunity to thrive. It's a huge privilege to be part of England Women, and I can't wait to get started,” she added.
- Poulton arrives with a strong administrative record in elite women's cricket.