Charlotte Edwards elected as first female PCA president

The 41-year old made over 300 appearances for England, leading her country to victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009

Charlotte Edwards has been appointed as the first female president of the Professional Cricketers' Association following an election by the Player’s Committee at the AGM on February 25.

The former England captain succeeds Graham Gooch, who held the position since 2018, and will serve an initial two-year term in the role.

Making her debut for England in a Test match against New Zealand in July 1996, Edwards went on to make over 300 appearances for England in all formats, scoring 10,273 runs.

During her 20-year career, Edwards won four Ashes series and captained England to victory in both the ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009 before playing her final match in March 2016.

The 41-year old is trailblazer in the women’s game, joining the PCA in 2011 following an historic agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board, and was one of the first 18 players to be awarded a central contract in May 2014.

^{Charlotte Edwards during her last appearance for England in March 2016}

Since retiring, Edwards has worked as a coach, most recently leading Southern Vipers to victory in last summer’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. She will continue to coach Vipers as PCA president and is also set to coach Southern Brave in The Hundred.

Commenting on her election, Edwards said: "I’m hugely honoured to be given such a prestigious title in being the President of the PCA. It’s an exciting time for women’s cricket and I’m really excited about what I can bring to the role. I think the introduction of 41 new female members to the PCA has shown it’s the right time to have a female PCA President, but I’m passionate about looking after the interests of the men’s game as well in order to help cricket thrive as a whole.

"I’ve done a lot of work with the PCA, on and off the field, and it’s been quite the journey from being an amateur, to becoming a PCA member in 2011 and now helping to support the next generation of players in this role.

"I’ve always followed what the PCA are doing for the game, and in particular the work of the Professional Cricketers’ Trust, and I really do want to be as involved as I can be. The game has given me so much and now this is the perfect opportunity for me to give something back."

PCA chair, James Harris, voiced his pleasure at the result, stating: "There is huge respect amongst the PCA membership for what Charlotte has achieved in the game, so I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work with her to drive forward the aims of the PCA during the coming years.

"I’m hugely honoured to be given such a prestigious title in being the President of the PCA. It’s an exciting time for women’s cricket and I’m really excited about what I can bring to the role"

"Whilst Charlotte’s election undoubtedly headlined this year’s AGM, the meeting once again provided an ideal opportunity for players to discuss key issues ahead of the coming season.

"In particular, it was exciting to ratify the expansion of the Players’ Committee to include the new women’s reps, illustrating our commitment to representing all of our members, and giving us clarity on the PCA’s structure and processes ahead of a momentous season for the English game."

Meanwhile, chief executive Rob Lynch added: "On behalf of everyone at the PCA, I would like to congratulate Charlotte on her election as PCA president. I would also like to place on record my thanks to the outgoing Graham Gooch, who has been an outstanding president during his three years in the role.

"The PCA is entering a crucial period, looking ahead to a busy season having navigated the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic during the last 12 months. It is an challenging yet exciting time for the game and we are looking forward to being at the forefront of decision-making processes."

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