Middlesex Cricket are delighted to announce that Esther de Lange will be the Club’s Senior Women’s Head Coach for the 2024 season.
de Lange will take charge of Middlesex Women this season ahead of the Women's game going through a major transformation from 2025 onwards, when the ECB will award Tier 1 Professional Women’s team status to just eight of the eighteen First-Class Counties. Middlesex confirmed yesterday in an announcement on its website that it has entered a bid to the ECB to operate one of those Professional Women's sides.
Prior to then, throughout 2024, de Lange will oversee Middlesex Women's progress in the Women's County 50-Over Cup, the Women's County T20, the Women's 50-Over London Championship and the Women's T20 London Cup.
de Lange is a former Netherlands International who played 127 times for her country as an off spinner between 2005 and 2016, playing as Captain for two years in 2015 and 2016. She is still the Netherlands’ leading all time wicket taker.
She has been involved in the Middlesex pathway for a number of years and is currently in the process of completing here Level 4 coaching qualification. She has had experience of shadowing in the Hundred competition with both London Spirit and Oval Invincibles as well as involvement in the Sunrisers elite Women’s environment.
Speaking of de Lange’s appointment as Women’s Head Coach, Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s Director of Cricket, commented:
“We are excited to announce Esther’s appointment as our Women’s Head Coach at what is an important time for the Women’s game.
“She has very much been a part of the Club’s Women and Girls’ set-up for a number of years, knows the players well, and is an experienced and very qualified Coach.
“We look forward to seeing how Esther develops an exciting and talented group of players over the coming year.
“I would like to thank Sanjay Patel for his commitment as our previous Head Coach for many years, who did an outstanding job in bringing through many young cricketers who are now playing the game at a higher level and professionally in the elite Women’s set-up.
“We wish Esther every success in the role and I personally look forward to working with her this season.”
Esther de Lange herself commented:
“With the cricket season around the corner, I'm hugely excited to work with a talented and dedicated group of players in the Middlesex senior Women's team.
“Having had the privilege of supporting many squad members during their development in the Middlesex pathway at U15 & U18 levels, I have full confidence in their abilities and passion for the sport.
“I admire the commitment of our players, who manage to balance their love for cricket with their full-time work & studies. Their dedication is inspiring and resonates with my own experiences in the cricket world.
“Using my experiences in international and franchise cricket, my aim is to provide an environment where every player feels supported and empowered to realise their full potential.”
