Gaby Lewis Eyes Strong Start with New Coach Lloyd Tennant
Gaby Lewis, the captain of the Ireland women’s cricket team, is optimistic about starting the three-match T20 international series against Zimbabwe at Sydney Parade tomorrow. She believes that the new head coach, Lloyd Tennant, will help the team secure a winning start. The Girls in Green have historically performed well against lower-ranked teams and are expected to dominate this series before heading to Belfast for two one-day internationals next weekend.
“We can take confidence from past results,” Lewis said. “But the conditions will be different this time, and we can’t afford to take any side lightly.”
Lloyd Tennant has only been in his role as head coach for six weeks, but he has already made a positive impression on the players. He took over from Ed Joyce, who focused more on batting strategies. In contrast, Tennant has shifted the focus towards bowling while also encouraging better collaboration between the batting and bowling groups.
“It’s been a big change,” Lewis explained. “Ed was more on the batting side of things, while Lloyd is more focused on the bowling. But he also wants the two groups to work together more, rather than being separate. He wants the bowlers to understand what the batter is thinking and trying to do, and how to combat that. I’ve listened to some of the conversations he’s had with the bowlers, and they’ve been brilliant.”
One area that the team is determined to improve is their fielding, particularly catching. This was a significant issue during the unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign in Pakistan in April.
“I believe 80% of fielding is your attitude towards it, and how aggressive you are,” Lewis said. “If you have a couple of bad days, the pressure does build, and we have to get rid of that fear because if you’re scared, you’re not in a good head space, and not as clear and relaxed as you should be.”
Ireland Women’s T20I Squad
Here is the full squad for the upcoming T20 international series:
- Gaby Lewis (c) (Phoenix)
- Ava Canning (Leinster)
- Christina Coulter Reilly (Clontarf)
- Laura Delany (Leinster)
- Amy Hunter (Instonians)
- Arlene Kelly (Malahide)
- Louise Little (Pembroke)
- Sophie MacMahon (Leinster)
- Jane Maguire (The Hills)
- Lara McBride (The Hills)
- Cara Murray (Waringstown/Clontarf)
- Leah Paul (Merrion)
- Orla Prendergast (Pembroke)
- Rebecca Stokell (Merrion)
With the support of their new coach and a strong team spirit, the Girls in Green are ready to make a statement in the T20 series against Zimbabwe. Their goal is not only to win the series but also to build momentum ahead of the upcoming one-day internationals.
