IRISH CRICKETING LEGEND Trent Johnston was not out of the international set-up for long after his retirement on Friday.
The Australian-born cricketer, who earned 198 caps for Ireland, has been named as the coach of the women’s national team. Johnston’s first major task with the Irish ladies will be to prepare them for a tilt at the World Twenty 20 in Bangladesh next year.
Cricket Ireland made the announcement this afternoon and revealed Johnston’s duel role will also include a posting as fast-bowling coach at the recently-formed National Academy. Johnston will also find time, he says, to keep up his coaching role at Leinster Lightning.
The 39-year-old called time on a glittering international career on Friday when he lifted the ICC InterContinental Cup – his 12th title in a 10-year span that also saw him feature in two World Cups and three World T20s.
“It’s very exciting and a great honour to be given these new challenges by Cricket Ireland,” said Johnston, who takes over the women’s role from his friend, and former teammate, Jeremy Bray. “It’s certainly a new chapter in my life and one I’m looking forward to immensely.”
“I’m on a two-year deal to coach the Ireland Women, and it’ll be a baptism of fire as we’re taking part in a tri-series in Qatar in January with full members South Africa and Pakistan.
That’s followed by Ireland’s first T20 finals in Bangladesh. It’s going to be tough because we’ll be the only Associate Member there – but I wouldn’t have it any other way… I’ve worked with most of them before but this is different in that I’ll be Head Coach this time around and I’ll have ultimate responsibility. I’ll enjoy that and hopefully in time I’ll get them playing the brand of cricket that I’ve played.”
Johnston added, “I’ll be surrounded by good people and I’m certainly going to take advice from those around me – I’m sure I’ll be on the phone to Simmo [Ireland coach Phil Simmons], bouncing ideas around.”
Johnston will commence his role at the beginning of next year, cutting short a family holiday to Australia, to take the team to Qatar in January for the ODI and T20I Series with South Africa and Pakistan.
