Lisa Pagett named Regional Director of Women’s Cricket

Western Storm are delighted to be able to announce that Lisa Pagett has been appointed as the Regional Director of Women’s Cricket for the South West & Wales.

Lisa’s principle responsibility will be to provide leadership and strategic direction to the regional senior team and the academy whilst also working collaboratively with others in the region to deliver an accessible and inclusive player pathway which is underpinned by a thriving recreational game.

Lisa is no stranger to the name Western Storm because she was the General Manager for the four years of the KIA Super League.

Under her stewardship Western Storm became synonymous with everything that was outstanding within women’s cricket as the team became the most successful in KSL history and left an outstanding legacy of programmes designed to encourage participation in order to ensure the future of the game.

Following the conclusion of the KSL in 2019, and as part of the ECB Transform Women’s and Girls’ cricket Action Plan a new elite domestic structure is being introduced, to ensure the future success of the women’s game by building on the positive work that resulted from the introduction of the KSL.

The new incarnation of Western Storm comprises a panel of key stakeholders from Somerset, Gloucestershire, Glamorgan, Devon, Cornwall, Wiltshire and Cricket Wales.

Following her appointment Lisa, who will be leaving her long-standing role as Gloucestershire Cricket Board’s Women and Girls’ Development Officer, said: “Obviously Western Storm is something that is very close to my heart, so to be leading it into the future is really exciting. It’s a challenge and an opportunity that I am really looking forward to.

“I’ve held a number of roles within the women’s game so I feel that I have a pretty comprehensive understanding of the game at lots of levels. One of the things I’m really looking forward to is working with the six regional partners to drive the game forward across the whole of the South West.

“When Western Storm was a KSL side, we made sure that our grass roots initiatives reached beyond just the Somerset and Gloucestershire boundaries. This role is very much about getting out and about because Western Storm represents the region as a whole and we want people to be able to connect with it.

“We have so many exciting opportunities ahead of us and to be able to support the development of the region’s talented women and girls is fantastic. Hopefully this will allow them to follow in the footsteps of players like Anya Shrubsole, Fran Wilson and Heather Knight, who came through the region so successfully.

“This is a very exciting time for women and girls who are involved in the game.”

Hugh Morris, Glamorgan CEO, said: “Western Storm will take the women’s game across the whole of the South West and Wales to the next level, and we are delighted to have someone of Lisa’s calibre at the helm.

“Glamorgan, Somerset and Gloucestershire will be working hand in hand with our neighbouring counties and Cricket Wales to ensure that the game goes from strength to strength by building on the excellent foundations that are currently in place.

“Throughout the duration of the KSL, Western Storm set the benchmark for excellence both on and off the field and that legacy, which Lisa played a huge part in, will now live on and help to produce the stars of the future.”