Northamptonshire’s Bowling Coach Chris Liddle will offer his support to regional women’s team the Sunrisers through the 2023 season.
Liddle joined Northamptonshire’s coaching staff in 2020 after a fifteen year playing career and having worked with the Netherlands national side. He takes on the role of Sunrisers Bowling Coach in addition to his work at Northamptonshire, which is unaffected by the new position.
“It’s been great to be involved working with the fastbowling group down at the Sunrisers.” Liddle said.
“It’s something I’m able to do around my commitments with the county and it’s great that the club recognises the importance of developing that relationship between Northamptonshire and the Sunrisers.”
One of the professional regional teams in England, the Sunrisers squad features Northamptonshire players Jodi Grewcock and Florence Miller who recently signed their first professional deals. The role is not Liddle’s first experience with women’s cricket either after he was part of the London Spirit Women coaching setup in 2022.
“It’s been a great experience for me as a coach to carry on that involvement with the London Spirit last year through to this winter with the Sunrisers.
“The approach you bring to training female athletes isn’t always the same as it is with male athletes, so that’s a new challenge for me as a coach which has been really rewarding.”
This further strengthens the link between Northamptonshire, the Sunrisers and the professional women’s game. The County Ground played host to a Sunrisers Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 in 2022 with the fixture returning in 2023 as a double header with the Steelbacks in the Vitality Blast.
The Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy final also returns to Wantage Road in September after the ground hosted the Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day last summer.
“It’s been great to add Chris to the high quality group of specialist coaches we have working with the players.” Sunrisers Head Coach Andy Tennant said.
“I know our pace bowling group have loved working with him, and his simple and supportive coaching style, along with previous experience with London Spirit Women, has made him a great fit for the group. Our thanks to Northamptonshire as one of our key partners, for helping make this happen.”