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“We saw it as a good chance to develop our understanding of the game and see it from a different perspective,” reckons Lanning. © Getty
Australia captain Meg Lanning, has joined national teammates Rachael Haynes and Elyse Villani, in undertaking a High Performance Level 3 coaching course at Brisbane’s National Cricket Centre in the hope of understanding the game better.
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“We saw it as a good chance to develop our understanding of the game and see it from a different perspective,” Lanning told cricket.com.au on Thursday (June 21). “It’s going to be a good learning curve for me, just for me to think about the game in a different way, how to get the best out of players and the environment you’re in and learn a few new things.
“It’s something I’ve spoken to (head coach) Matthew Mott about a fair bit, and he’s been very encouraging,” Lanning said. “It does give you a different perspective on things and makes you think about things differently. It’s also a chance to extend yourself.
“I’m not sure (about coaching post retirement) to be honest, but part of doing the course is getting a feel for whether I do really enjoy it or not, and gives me a base to keep improving on while I’m playing.”
If Lanning, who hasn’t considered coaching as a serious option post her playing days, does decide to head down the path, she will be joining an illustrious list of female coaches, pioneered by Alex Blackwell, who was named Lancashire Thunder’s mentor in England’s T20 Super League after having retired in February. Leah Poulton, the former Australian batter, heads Cricket Australia’s elite female program, legendary Shelley Nitschke has been appointed assistant to the national women’s team, under head coach, Matthew Mott.
In addition, both the NSW sides, Lendlease NSW Breakers and Sydney Thunder’s WBBL side, are under Joanne Broadbent, Lisa Keightley oversees Western Fury and Perth Scorchers and Andrea McCauley has South Australia and Adelaide Strikers under her wing – something which Lanning sees as a positive move.
“It’s a space that’s evolved over the last three or four years,” she said. “We’ve got Shelley Nitschke as part of our Australian set up and Leah Poulton is heading up the NPS program as well. I think there are processes in place now, so if you do want to get involved as a current player (who is considering) coaching down the track, you can start that journey while you’re playing.
“There’s definitely some really good knowledge being shared from past players at the moment, and the current players as well, in terms of coaching the next generation. So hopefully we can use that (knowledge) as much as we can,” she added.
Beginning September, Australia women will be heading into one of their busiest seasons yet, participating in two Women’s World T20s, an away Ashes, and bilateral series’ against New Zealand, Pakistan, West Indies and Sri Lanka.
