Anand Patel Appointed Leicestershire Women Assistant Coach

Leicestershire CCC can today confirm the appointment of Anand Patel as Leicestershire Women Assistant Coach.

The 48-year-old will work alongside Head Coach Stephen Franklin on a part-time basis as the Foxes begin their maiden season as a Tier Two county this summer.

A specialist sports coach and former PE teacher with a degree in Sport and Fitness Science, Patel first joined the Women’s coaching setup at Uptonsteel County Ground in 2023, where he helped the side lift the East of England Championship.

Patel’s move into coaching followed a disrupted competitive career in martial arts for Great Britain, which was hampered by persistent injury alongside complications of suffering from Crohn’s Disease.

The Leicester-born coach will further his expertise after being selected for the ECB’s Diploma in Sporting Excellence Programme, coaching 16-18-year-old players from national counties.

Discussing his appointment, Patel said: “Being a local lad, I’m immensely proud to be part of the Club and hope I can contribute to more success at a time where women’s cricket is going to push new boundaries.

“Franky and I share the same approach to coaching and I owe him a lot for my personal development. We have built strong foundations in recent seasons and fostered a culture of togetherness that allows us to back each other and be courageous in our development.

“We have assembled an exciting squad for this season and it’s our job now to harness and nurture their potential to fuel our long-term ambition of reaching Tier One.”

Heather Beattie, Women & Girls County Age Group Cricket Operations, said: “Anand’s background in teaching transfers seamlessly into his coaching philosophies. His considered approach and commitment to helping our squad reach the next level is exactly what we want in our coaching structure.

“As part of our coaching team for the previous two seasons, Anand’s voice brings great continuity as we look to keep progressing as a Club.”

Leicestershire Women kick off the 2025 season at home to Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Sunday 20 April.