Taylor joins England Lions tour as keeping coach

Only South Africa's Trisha Chetty has more wicketkeeping dismissals in women's ODIs than Sarah Taylor

Former England women's wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor has joined the England Lions coaching staff for their tour of South Africa.

The 35-year-old, regarded as one of the finest keepers to have played the game, won 226 caps across all formats for England in a 13-year international career.

Taylor has worked as a coach in men's cricket with Sussex and Manchester Originals, and is thought to be the first woman to join an international men's set-up.

England performance director Ed Barney told BBC Sport: "She's got a huge amount of experience, she has a really nice coaching style and she's worked with some of the best male keepers in the international game.

"We're always looking to pull the best staff together and that means a certain element of diversity. That doesn't mean diversity of gender, but diversity of thought, coaching styles and points of difference."

Led by former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, on his first tour as Lions head coach, the backroom team also includes ex-England spinner Graeme Swann, and former South Africa internationals Dale Steyn and Neil McKenzie.

The squad departed on Wednesday for a training camp that will partly focus on white-ball skills, and conclude with a four-day match against South Africa A.

Taylor will also work with an under-19 Young Lions squad in South Africa at the same time. That group includes Flintoff's son Rocky and Archie Vaughan, son of former England captain Michael.

In 2013, Taylor held talks over playing for the Sussex men's second XI, though never featured in a match.

Taylor made history in 2015 when she became the first woman to play Australian first-grade cricket, turning out for Northern Districts in Adelaide.

She initially ended her playing her career in 2019, but came out of retirement to play one season in The Hundred for Welsh Fire in 2021.