Pyrah joy at chance to shape women's cricket

Pyrah, who retired from playing in 2015 after 12 years at Headingley, will pursue his responsibilities as head coach alongside his coaching role with the men’s side.

The 33-year-old has spent part of the winter developing his coaching in Australia, working with both the Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League, and insists he is ready to guide his new team to the top of women’s cricket.

“This is an exciting time to be involved in women’s cricket especially around the advent of the Women’s Cricket Super League,” he said.

“The potential for the women’s game across the world is immense and already in the short time that I have been working at Headingley as a coach, you can see the opportunity for the players and the club to deliver a successful team both on and off the field.

“Working with the administrators, our focus is to build a strong side that will be competitive in the first year of competition. To play an influential role in developing the squad in the inaugural tournament is an honour and one that I relish.”

The former one-day specialist will work alongside the team’s general manager, Jane Hildreth, and Yorkshire women’s coach Ruan Louw to recruit players ahead of the start of the competition, which begins in July.

Yorkshire are one of six teams set to compete in this year’s inaugural tournament, which will take the format of a Twenty20 event.

Alongside the White Rose county, women’s teams from Hampshire, Lancashire, Loughborough University, South West (Somerset and Gloucestershire) and Surrey are set to feature.