YORKSHIRE County Cricket Club (YCCC) have announced that former Yorkshire all-rounder Richard Pyrah has been appointed Head Coach of Yorkshire Women.

Pyrah will lead the Club in its new chapter following the England and Wales Cricket Board’s restructure of the women’s professional game.

The 41-year-old joins Yorkshire having been a former bowling coach for Yorkshire Men and having been Head Coach of the inaugural Yorkshire Women’s Super League Twenty20 team – helping play a key role in the development of women players in the county.

Pictured, Richard Pyrah has been appointed Head Coach of Yorkshire Women. 

Pyrah, returns to YCCC having played for his home county for more than 10 years, with him finishing as the side’s leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket in 2011, with 21, on his way to a career record of 108 wickets at 21.43 in 105 games. Pyrah also took 140 scalps at 26.21 in 118 List A matches.

He played in 51 first-class matches for YCCC, in which he operated as an all-rounder. On the batting front – in 61 innings, he made eight fifties and three hundreds with an average of 30.58. He had a top score of 134 not out and added a memorable 117 against Lancashire in 2011.

Pyrah claimed 296 wickets across all formats for Yorkshire and was the first bowler, in 2011, to take a five-wicket in T20 cricket for the county.

Pyrah will officially take on the new role in September when everything is finalised between the two parties, following the completion of the regional women’s competition.

Colin Graves, Chair of YCCC, said: “We’re delighted Richard has agreed to become the Head Coach of our women’s team and we are very pleased to welcome him back to Yorkshire.

“After a thorough and robust process, Richard stood out amongst an incredible shortlist of candidates. Through the whole process it was clear Richard is the right person to lead Yorkshire into the Club’s new chapter and take our women’s professional team to the highest level.

“Richard is a proven developer, has an excellent reputation, and a winning mentality as a player and as a coach.

“We believe that Richard will be the perfect fit for the next stage of our new and exciting journey.”

“It’s an incredible honour for me to be given the opportunity to lead Yorkshire’s Women side and it’s the proudest moment of my career,” said Pyrah.

“This is an exciting time to be involved in women’s cricket, following ECB’s restructure of the women’s professional game.

“To join Yorkshire, one of the biggest cricket clubs in the world, is a dream for any coach. It is why I am so excited by this opportunity.

“I will give my full commitment to this team. I look forward to working with a very talented group of players and staff and I aim to develop a team that continues the Club’s tradition of success and makes our supporters proud.”

Yorkshire Women will join Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex, Sussex and Worcestershire in Tier 2 in the 2025 season, with the 10 counties playing 50-over and 20-over cricket.

Yorkshire will then become a Tier 1 club for the 2026 season.