Legendary Charlotte Edwards to take over the reign at Sidney Sixers

England legend Charlotte Marie Edwards is the new head coach of the Sydney Sixers in the Women's Big Bash League. The franchise have had a tough time in the last few seasons and are looking to end a three-year streak of missing out on the WBBL playoffs. 

Edwards was introduced as the new coach of the Sixers today. It is exciting to learn that Edwards has prioritised the entry of the Sydney Sixers to the finals. "I've got to get this team to make finals and I'm absolutely certain we can do that. I wouldn't take on the role if I didn't think that." she said.

Edwards says the chance to return the Sydney Sixers to the top of the WBBL with arguably the best lineup in the league made it a "no-brainer" to take over as head coach. With Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner already signed for WBBL|08 and Ellyse Perry on the way, Edwards said the opportunity to work with some of the top players in the world while also helping the club turn around its fortunes was a simple option.

"That's probably what attracted me to this role. You see the list they've got … (and you think), 'why aren't they performing, why aren't they doing well?'. That really appealed to the coach in me." Edwards said in an interview when asked how a team with so many stars could miss the finals three years in a row.

"You often have a team where you want to play a certain way, but you can't because you sometimes haven't got the playing group. Well, we absolutely have got the playing group and now it's just a matter of getting the best out of those players." The former English cricketer added.

Edwards succeeds Ben Sawyer, who coached the Sixers to two championships and is now an assistant coach with Australia's national team. Former England captain and one of the best female athletes of all time, the 42-year-old admitted that having a talented set of players at her disposal does not ensure success.

Two of the seasons were inflicted by COVID and these were possible mitigating factors as per Edwards that resulted in the club's recent run of poor results. She said the key to unleashing her players' potential will be to build a good bond with them throughout the off-season. "You've got to build relationships with players," the new coach said. "You can't just come in and tell them what to do."

Edwards emphasised that it's about getting to know them as individuals and learn what makes them tick so you can get the most out of them. She says it could be different for Healy, Perry, and Stella Campbell but usually any coach faces this issue. 

“I put a lot of strain on myself already. And to take this job when I did, they haven't made it to the finals in a few years, so I think there's less pressure on me in that regard.”

The Sixers feature a strong local speed attack, led by Campbell, Maitlan Brown, and Lauren Cheatle, in addition to the club's Australian stars. Edwards stated that the club will use their quota of international players to bolster their top-order batting and spin supplies, with some announcements expected in the coming weeks.

"I've got some decent contacts in the game, and I've had some really positive conversations with a number of players. I think people are going to be pretty excited by the players we bring in." Edwards said.

Edwards, who has deep ties to the Adelaide Strikers as a player and a coach, said leaving the club that had been her Australian home since 2016 was "a really challenging call. I owe so much to the Adelaide Strikers and what they did for me as a coach," she said.

"I've done five years there (as an assistant coach) and it just felt like the right time for me, and the right job came up. That's probably what attracted me to this role," When asked how such a star-studded team could miss the finals three years in a row, Edwards said in the interview.