The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) Representative Directorate is delighted to announce that Tim Simmonite has agreed to act as lead coach for their Women's Senior Squad for 2019. Tim has just returned from the Women's World Cup in Guyana with his role as Team Manager and was also lead coach of the Dragons in the 2018 Super 3 competition.

Callum Atkinson, who was involved in the Women's programme in 2018, will act as Assistant Coach to the Senior squad.

It is an exciting time for Women's and Girls' cricket, evidenced at NCU level, which has witnessed a huge rise in the number of nominations received from clubs and schools for the girls' junior regional development programme at Wallace High School, this winter.

Tim is also heavily involved in the men's game in the NCU, currently acting as Director of Cricket at CSNI.

Commenting on his new role, Tim said, 'I am delighted to be asked to take over as Head Coach of the Women's Team by the NCU. We are in an exciting time for Women's cricket and I look forward to working with the players, volunteers and staff in the Union on creating an environment of enjoyment, development and success'.

Allan Rutherford, the former Woodvale and Ireland wicket-keeper, who was recently appointed as Director of Representative Cricket for the NCU, welcomed Tim to this new role, saying, 'Tim's extensive knowledge and experience in the Irish Women's cricket set up will help the NCU further develop and enhance our Women's and girls' teams with a view to more girls representing Ireland at various age levels'.